To the Punch
by Anniexus
Summary: Not a great work of art. Just some fun. Ever wonder what a single change can make? What if Chakotay came to some realizations a little earlier?


Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek or these characters nor do I make money off this. I just borrow them for my own enjoyment. I did take some conversations from the original show as I thought they were well written and there's no point wasting people's good work. I hope they don't mind.

Warning: Kissing (nothing graphic).  
Notes: Please forgive any spelling or grammatical mistakes.

Dolohov left the briefing room, still sporting the Quarran fashion and Chakotay looked down at his schedule.

A message flashed across the top. Kathryn's face appeared, as tired and ragged as his own, and the recording quickly explained that she was taking the rest of the afternoon off. She only had Seven of Nine left to interview, but didn't want to put it off. "If you wouldn't mind, could you do her debriefing? She's pretty much back to normal so it shouldn't take too long. I'll review it tomorrow. Oh, and I agreed to help out a few other victims. Their planets are more or less on our own route."

Before he had time to utter more than a sigh, the door chimed. He didn't need to ask who it was. "Enter."

As though directed by a magnet, Seven of Nine strode to the opposite side of the table and stood stiffly. Chakotay knew she had already started treatments with the Doctor, but she didn't seem to have taken back all her old habits yet. Her hair was still tied back, but it was looser and her bangs hinted at the possibility of a softer face. Perhaps uncomfortable with both her usual biosuit and the Quarra alternative, she had selected simple pants and a nice shirt for the debriefing. If asked, Chakotay would have said it suited her more than her usual strict attire.

"Commander."

"Seven." He gestured to a chair, more out of habit and politeness and was surprised when she consented to sit. "So, how are you doing?"

"I am adjusting adequately." She shifted the angle of her chair a bit.

"That's good to hear."

"And you?" She eyed him, noting his drooping eyes. Chakotay thought her kind to ask. No one else had.

"I'm tired, but nothing worse than that." He forced himself to sit up straight and shook himself slightly. The sooner he got this interview done the sooner he could go to bed.

"If you wish, Commander, I can submit a written report."

Chakotay watched her shuffle in her seat a bit more and thought she hadn't bounced back as quickly as the Captain seemed to think. Seven, if she sat at all, usually perched on the edge of her chair. She didn't lean over the table or glance around the familiar briefing room as though cataloguing what she saw.

"No, I won't take too much of your time and the Captain wants this done personally." He smiled kindly at her. "Besides, maybe there are things you'd like to talk about that you don't want in a written report."

"Commander?" She lifted the ocular implant in her usual way. More than anything she could have said, that gesture made Chakotay certain she would be back to her old self sooner rather than later.

"Why don't we start at the beginning? What is the first thing you remember of Quarra?"

Seven rattled off a storyline about leaving her home world to find work. "But I know that's not what really happened." Her gaze drifted to the table, her usual confidence suddenly uncertain. The shift surprised Chakotay as much as it intrigued him.

"How did you know it wasn't real?"

"When Lt. Tuvok attempted the mind meld, I saw flashes of Voyager." Her eyes flickered to him, but then away like skittish birds. Chakotay leaned forward without realizing it. "I remembered being here, but not in the same way I remembered the other parts of my life, the false engrams. They seemed… dimmer than before, like a dream I had to think hard to recall. It wasn't real and it wasn't right. I felt afraid."

Chakotay reached over and touched her hand, hoping to offer comfort, but she drew back as though scalded and sat up straighter, more like her usual self and when she spoke, she was Seven of Nine once more.

"It was enough to convince me there was a possibility that I was being lied to, but I required proof. I accessed personnel files and found almost the entire crew in the database. They had all been treated for the same neurological disease. I was included on the list, but as I didn't remember being treated I knew either my memories or the records were false."

She continued to speak, listing out in detail what she'd done, but not once did she again allude to how she felt about her experience. Her eyes, which had been on the verge of tears, were calm and disturbingly robotic. Her posture and vocal inflections were the same, as though they'd just pulled her from the Collective moments ago. While normally Chakotay would have let her finish and thought nothing of her behaviour, this time he paid more attention to what she wasn't saying than what she did.

When her speech was done and Chakotay agreed that she could go, she stood as swiftly and gracefully as ever.

"Seven," said Chakotay before she could flee. He searched his mind desperately for something to say, something to ease the suffering he'd glimpsed in her eyes. The rumble of his stomach gave him an idea. "I think we could all use something pleasant to help ease us back into things. Would you be willing to help with a cooking class?"

"I think Neelix would take offense," she said, brow raised in surprise.

"I'm sure he'd welcome your involvement, especially if it's to help ease some of the crew's trauma. We'll make it a joint effort."

"Are you hoping I'll prevent him from using leola root or that I'll hide his spice rack?"

Chakotay laughed and Seven found the sound enjoyable, reminding her of some distant memory. Axum laughing, she thought. I remember that. His eyes light up like Commander Chakotay's do as well. The comparison struck her and she hurriedly tried to shift her focus. Irrelevant. She was only recalling such frivolous memories because of the emotional trauma of Quarra.

"A little bit of both. So?" But he could already see the answer in her eyes. Her moment of connection had passed.

"Perhaps another time."

"How about something more athletic then? I've heard from a few people you're pretty good at hoverball and anyone who can beat Janeway at velocity is practically required to participate in a contest."

"I have only defeated Captain Janeway a few times." She thought it rude to say just how many times. "I would be a poor example." Still, she found herself flattered. Part of her couldn't help wondering what sort of competitor he'd be. She imagined he'd be formidable.

"It's more than anyone on this ship can boast. So, how about it?"

"Thank you for your commendation, but I am not suited to organize such an event and I am eager to return to routine." She thought that would be the end of it. Certainly few others pursued such a request for her presence with such determination, but Chakotay was not put off.

"Then at least let me treat you to a nice meal... to thank you. I'd say you deserve it after all you did for us. If it weren't for your actions I'd be in the same situation as the rest of the crew." He considered how close it had been. Chakotay couldn't dismiss feeling he owed her a debt of thanks more than the rest, but he would keep his peace on that point. "We might not have returned to Voyager at all."

"That is not necessary, Commander." She bobbed her head. "Excuse me, I must return to engineering."

She turned on her heel and left swiftly, leaving Chakotay disappointed. He felt somewhat more enlightened and somehow also more confused.

Seven, for her part, felt the need for solitude and reflection as she tried to sort out why she'd been so tempted to accept Commander Chakotay's offer. She certainly knew he was considered a desirable male and she had quickly developed respect for him – despite or because of his attempt to jettison her into space – but he had always been firmly planted as a figurehead in her mind. He was a leader above the rest, not unlike the Borg Queen in Seven's mind where hierarchy of that sort was black and white. Still, his offers sounded like something more than just a social meeting between two colleagues even to her and she didn't know what to make of it. Less did she know how she felt.

XXX

Chakotay returned to his usual post the next morning and anticipated his leader returning to hers so they could continue their journey. He'd greeted the various people Voyager would be ferrying home and though he'd been happy to help, sympathetic to their plight, he'd been unable to help feeling some irritation. He'd expected Captain Janeway to help organize the refugees… or at least show up.

Captain Janeway did appear in due time. Ten minutes late, tired, distracted, and hesitant with her first few steps towards her usual chair, Captain Janeway spent only a few seconds on the bridge. In fact, she bypassed her seat entirely and with a clipped "I'll be in my ready room until we leave," she disappeared once more.

Chakotay was not surprised when Jaffen appeared with an escort and went to join her.

Tom looked around at Chakotay's deep exhalation, but the Commander merely turned to glare at his personal computer as the ship prepared for departure.

Many hours later Chakotay did give voice to his thoughts in his personal log. He sat on his couch with a cup of tea and attempted to make sense of his conflicted feelings by verbalizing them.

"I'm afraid the kidnapping and brainwashing of Voyager's crew on Quarra has affected more than just Tuvok's mental stability. My faith in Captain Janeway – faith in our friendship and my ability to fully trust her has been shaken and I'm uncertain how to remedy it," he said. While one was easily repaired by the Doctor, the other was unlikely to be fully healed in the foreseeable future.

"I debriefed Seven, the last to be interviewed and her story… it moved me."

The funny thing about it was Kathryn was supposed to debrief Seven, but chose to take one last tour with her short-term beau.

"I know she was brainwashed, but I find it difficult to accept that Captain Janeway, the woman who pushed beyond reason to return to Earth, would have been content to stay on that alien world and build a life with the first male prospect she met. Tom and B'Elanna easily conformed to their roles too, but something of their life together remained. Tom tried to befriend and help B'Elanna though he didn't remember her. So why didn't Captain Janeway remember anything about me or Voyager? Only Tuvok and Seven resisted the mental manipulation at all. I can understand the motivation for most of the crew. Tom and B'Elanna had their family right in front of them. Everyone is determined to get to Earth, but it seems odd that the one with the most drive should be more susceptible to memory programming than the one with the least to gain."

Chakotay paused, thinking silently of what he'd learned. He had quickly realized how large a part Seven played in returning everyone to Voyager and her tenacity was beyond his ability to understand. She had always clung to the idea of serving a unified group, but she had that on Quarra as much as Voyager. They'd served as a community of useful workers producing for the greater good.

"By all accounts Seven should have brushed off Tuvok's ranting and her brief feelings of unease," Chakotay continued, "the planted memories and assumed identity taking over any hint of her life on Voyager. The Quarra doctor who helped with treating the victims confirmed that was part of their technique, brought about and tested because of prior contact with telepathic species."

Seven had recounted the mechanics of her experience, but it was the smallest shifts in her features as she spoke which gave Chakotay insight into her emotional state.

"Her confusion and longing for something she couldn't express because she couldn't remember was written in her eyes, the downturn of her mouth." He spoke aloud without realizing it, his voice becoming barely more than a musing whisper. He'd leaned forward as Seven spoke, entranced by the veiled humanity like never before. "I never thought I was one to place emphasis on looks, but Seven's assumed identity lent her just enough change that she seemed more accessible. I felt like I understood her better… or at least that I might be able to.

"I'm extremely grateful that Seven acted as she did. If it wasn't for her investigative efforts I'd probably be working on Quarra right now." But gratitude didn't adequately cover what he felt. "I always knew she was intelligent and hard-working, but her actions have led me to believe there's something more to her I've been overlooking. She showed great loyalty and… emotional attachment."

Why did I ask her to host a cooking class? The errant thought had crossed his mind a few times. It had been so random. Worse, why did I ask her to dinner? That had slipped out and been a complete surprise to them both, but when Chakotay asked himself if he'd meant it…

Chakotay stood and set his mug back into the replicator. He'd been grateful, yes, but, spirits help him, he'd wanted to embrace and sooth her. He'd wanted to comfort the one woman on Voyager who least appeared to need or want comfort. He wasn't even sure how Seven felt about him. He had once tried to kill her. Perhaps she was bitter and still angry. He didn't think so, but then Seven was a difficult person to figure out.

Yes, yes, I meant it. He had wanted to spend time outside of work and crisis with Seven of Nine. The next question was whether it had been just to thank her as he'd claimed or to help her deal with a traumatic situation.

"What makes you think she'd even appreciate your concern?" Chakotay asked himself with an exasperated sigh. He paced his living room, occasionally running an agitated hand through his hair as he tried to put a label on his feelings. It was more than gratitude, more than pity and if anyone could spit on his offer of counselling it was Seven. So what had been his motivation?

For the moment he was stymied.

XXX

It so happened that some of the victims Janeway agreed to ferry around were a little further from Voyager's flight path than Janeway originally indicated. Holed up in her rooms, the task of settling the logistics fell to Chakotay and Ensign Kim. Since there were precious few crewmembers with their memories fully restored, it took some creativity to settle how they were going to go about things.

"Commander." Seven stood in front of the Delta Flyer, her golden hair distinctive among the crowd of refugees she stood with. She was dressed and stoic as normal. It was relieving to know his compatriot would be the same person he was used to, the person he trusted. She remembered Voyager fully, he could tell just by the confidence in her stance. Chakotay felt the tension in his shoulders lessen.

"Seven, are you ready?" Chakotay smiled at her. She merely inclined her head and helped usher the refugees into the shuttle.

With no trouble at all they were soon flying away from Voyager. They had two separate groups to drop off, a mission scheduled for three days.

"What is that tune?" Seven asked after a long while. Conversation had been nonexistent since their takeoff procedure, but neither one had been bothered by the silence.

"Hmm?" Chakotay realized he'd been humming. "Sorry. I'll stop if it bothers you."

"You are out of tune, but it isn't disturbing."

Chakotay smiled, surprised to see the soft lifting at the corner of Seven's lips that indicated she was making a joke. He wasn't sure she'd ever teased him before. "It's just an old Earth ballad my mother taught me."

Seven raised a brow, prompting him to continue.

"It's Irish, actually. Molly Malone."

"Have you been to Ireland?"

"Yes, I went during my time at the Academy. Some friends and I took a trip there for one of our long weekend breaks. It's beautiful." He expected her to say beauty is irrelevant, but she didn't.

"After witnessing some of Voyager's holoprograms centred around Earth, I am curious," she admitted. "What was it like?"

"Very green and damp, but lovely. I didn't see as much as I would have liked, but we saw a number of ruins and old churches." He looked over to catch her eye. She was listening with interest. Chakotay's stomach gave an odd flip. "There's a lot of old pubs and recreations of the old villages, street performers, and rural spaces."

"You would go back." Her statement, her eyes returned to the computer made Chakotay aware of his reverent tone.

"Yes, I would." He glanced at her. "Would you like to see it?"

"Perhaps." She'd turned her head slightly from him, afraid he would see her sadness and doubt. The rest of the crew was ridiculously optimistic at times about returning to Earth, but Seven held no special hope for it, no one waiting for her there, no one to guide her in the social graces or walk with her through the landscapes Chakotay had experienced. Earth held nothing for Seven but the very real and frightening possibility of loneliness and isolation.

"If we ever get back in one piece and if I'm not imprisoned, I'll show you around if you'd like." Chakotay met Seven's wide eyes and smiled. "If you can tolerate warmer climates and the outdoors, you might even like Costa Rica."

"I assume you toured there as well."

"Yes. It wasn't my first choice, but my sister and father dragged me there for some communing with nature."

"You enjoyed it?"

"Despite my own petulance I loved it." For almost an entire hour, prompted by a number of questions from Seven, Chakotay proceeded to tell her all about the lush jungle he'd seen. It had been one of the few trips into the forest with his father that Chakotay could remember without regret. There had been something utterly breathtaking about the lush greenery and crystal beaches even at night when monkeys and warm breezes roved over the campers. His father had been delighted and so had Chakotay.

The rest of their time passed in the same vein, Chakotay entertaining Seven with stories from his travels and days in school. He caught her eyes shining with interest and amusement at his passion. The more he told her, the more he really did want to take her along to those old haunts and recreate his experience, but he wanted to do so for her. His own pleasure was secondary to his wish to see her enjoy what he'd enjoyed, to share what had been so important to him.

"Are we almost there?" One of the aliens had crept up from the back of the Flyer. The young man appeared shaky and slightly green. Chakotay suspected the man hadn't travelled on a shuttlecraft very often. Chakotay checked the navigation.

"Yes, your group is first up. Just another fifteen minutes." He was surprised to note how much time had passed. It seemed like nothing at all.

"Okay." The man glanced at Seven, seemed momentarily intrigued and then remembered his nerves and retreated back to his seat.

"I'm glad you got your memories back so quickly, Seven. I appreciate your help with this."

Seven smirked. "I have done very little so far."

"Well, considering how few people are fully recovered, you're saving me from three days in a small shuttle with the Doctor."

"That is inaccurate, Commander." It was his turn to raise a brow. "The Doctor would have remained on Voyager to treat the crew and Ensign Kim is needed to assist with repairs. You would have gone with Mr. Neelix." Her smirk grew. "You are welcome."

Chakotay laughed.

XXX

Chakotay had underestimated just how much the other victims talked amongst themselves and how grateful they were to be returned home. Granted, he'd been too busy to give it much thought, but it still struck him as they said goodbye to their charges.

The first group had insisted on introducing Chakotay and Seven to their planetary government. When one of the refugees explained with surprising accuracy just how involved in their return both Chakotay and Seven had been, the Delta Flyer had then been loaded with gifts and resources to bring back to Voyager. Seven and Chakotay had only managed to leave the first planet by explaining that they were on a schedule and wished to return the other group home as soon as possible.

The second batch, which contained the alien male who'd admired Seven earlier, was even more difficult to calm down. The same explanation was given to the government and was followed by a celebration and series of ceremonies that left even Chakotay's patience strained to the limits. He couldn't help admire Seven's fortitude. She seemed to bear the slowly passing hours with more grace than him. The only sign of her impatience was a sigh he only heard because she was standing so close.

They were forced to stay for an impromptu feast in what served as a political centre and temple. White and grey marble walls and floors were streaked through with flecks of gold and carved out into ornate features. Around the hall numerous tables were set out with the finest linens, plates, and more food than Chakotay could remember seeing in one place. When every seat was full, the political speeches began again. It was torture.

"How do you propose we get out of this one?" Chakotay leaned in to whisper as they were treated to the fourth course of their honorary feast. In the middle of the room, surrounded by eating and chatting people stood an orator with a booming, contemptuous voice.

"I could assimilate them."

Chakotay smirked. "That would certainly do the trick, but I was thinking of something less aggressive."

"You can pretend to have an allergy to their food. I would take you back to the shuttle for treatment and we could escape." Were it not for the slight lift at the corner of her mouth, Chakotay would have thought Seven was serious.

"We may have to resort to that." Chakotay realized how close he was leaning in to talk to her and drew away, wondering if he'd made Seven uncomfortable. He examined her expression and body language. She seemed perfectly at ease, perhaps even amused.

Seven glanced up, intending to tease Chakotay about his diplomacy skills, and noticed someone else's gaze on her and the Commander… No, not us, just me. Seven was sure of it. Her certainty had nothing to do with ego as she would have been perfectly happy to not be looked at by the particular individual. It was the same male from the Delta Flyer.

Chakotay looked where Seven did, concerned by the sudden stillness in her frame and the uncertainty in her eyes as she turned back to stare at her plate without eating. Chakotay felt himself stiffen as he caught the other man's eyes. A challenge was wordlessly communicated between them. The other man looked away and Chakotay shuffled his seat closer to Seven. He turned to her and she smiled at him, beautifully and openly with gratitude. He smiled back, his eyes sparkling.

"I think you have an admirer." Her eyes flashed to his and down again at that.

"Perhaps."

"You're not flattered?" Chakotay felt his heart drop slightly without understanding why.

"No, I am unnerved."

"Have you – Have you ever thought about dating, about being in a relationship?"

"Yes, but I think I am ill adapted for it." It was a bit of honesty she hadn't even confessed to the Doctor. She'd told him the males on the ship weren't suitable, but the truth was she'd come to the conclusion that she wasn't suitable. She was too Borg and likely always would be. The revelation of Unimatrix Zero was the only glimmer of faint hope she'd had to grasp since that revelation.

Chakotay shook his head. "Seven, I can't think of a single thing that should keep you from being in a happy relationship." Were her eyes always so open and soft? He'd never noticed before.

"You believe so?"

"Yes, I-" He wasn't sure what to say. Thankfully, he was interrupted by a speech from their hosts.

In due time the feast ended and the two humans left with many tokens of gratitude.

However, the return to Voyager wasn't as smooth as anticipated.

XXX

"Missile, starboard." Chakotay didn't need to give the warning. It was just habit. Seven had already destroyed it with impressive accuracy.

"Shields down to thirty percent." Seven's voice was as level as ever, giving Chakotay a feeling of calm within the crisis. He maneuvered away from the pursuing ships and their deadly firepower.

"Any idea what they're using to disrupt our shields?"

"I am uncertain. Attempting to compensate."

"Shields at sixty percent." He smiled. "Good work."

"Wait until we escape them before you make assumptions." The ship rocked again, but it was just shockwaves, a result of Seven destroying another unfriendly missile.

"I trust you." He was too busy concentrating on flying to notice her glance at him sharply.

"I think I can disrupt their pursuit, but you may not like-"

"Do it. If you save our necks, I'll give you a week of time off to do whatever you like."

"Acceptable." She tapped in a few commands. A volley of shots hit the ship closest to the Delta Flyer and after a minute passed the pursuing ships simply stopped.

"What did you do?" Chakotay didn't stop to scan their enemies. He headed as fast as he could in the direction of the rendezvous with Voyager.

"I sent their computer a disruptive signal when their shields were weakened. It infiltrated the other ships through their communications link."

"Why would you think I wouldn't like that idea?"

"I am surprised you don't recognize it. The technique and signal are Cardassian in origin, developed in their fight against the Maquis. The Borg assimilated the knowledge not long after Voyager was pulled into the Delta Quadrant."

Chakotay thought about it, disturbed by the origin of the knowledge and surprised by her sensitivity to his potential objection. In the end… "What can I say? You saved us. Good work."

Seven dipped her head and began silently scanning for more dangers ahead. All they had left to do was stay alive and return to Voyager.

It was another six hours before either one of them broke the comfortable silence. Seven stood and disappeared into the back. She returned with two plates of pasta and vegetables, which Chakotay gulped down with enough speed to embarrass himself. He took her plate when she was done.

"Costa Rica," Seven said as he headed to the back of the shuttle. It was more to herself, but he happened to hear it anyway.

"Pardon me?"

"You said if I saved us, you would give me a week to do as I pleased. I think I would like to see some of what you described on our first day."

"Oh, well, I think that can be arranged. I'll even help you find a program." Chakotay went to the back then, smiling broadly. It pleased him more than he thought it should that Seven would remember his chatter. It had been three days after all, but she had obviously thought about it since. Something about that was satisfying, uplifting even.

Maybe I can help her set up the holodeck, he thought as he straightened out some of the mess created by the firefight. I could use some time off myself. Maybe we can share the time. He stopped, surprised that for a moment he had envisioned himself exploring the jungle with Seven of Nine. Most surprising was how the momentary vision burned in the back of his brain, tantalizing and hopeful. If he let himself think on it, he could visualize getting her to relax and laugh. She was beautiful and alluring in her unique combination of bluntness and innocence, easier to get along with than expected. And she had pink lips that looked soft, practically begging to be kissed. He imagined that too and smiled.

Well, I don't believe it, thought Chakotay. I think I have a crush on Seven of Nine.

At the front of the shuttle, Seven of Nine had difficulty keeping her mind solely on her work and off confusing thoughts of Commander Chakotay.

XXX

"You're late." Janeway greeted Chakotay and Seven in the shuttle bay, a frown marring her pleasant features.

"We ran into some trouble." Chakotay yawned and worried over the extra paleness in Seven's complexion. They both needed rest. "May we explain tomorrow?"

For the first time, Captain Janeway took proper stock of her two officers. Concern flashed across her face and she nodded, moving aside for them to tiredly seek refuge. They chatted quietly, amiably as they moved away from her. Janeway shrugged.

XXX

The next morning was the same as any other except for the designed meeting of several friends, including the newly reunited Chakotay. Still out of sorts, the group of diners had decided to sit down for a few meals to reconnect and hash things out with friends. B'Elanna, Tom, Harry, Chakotay, Tabor and even an exceptionally nervous Celes crammed themselves around a table and set up a clamour of utensils and chatter. It so happened that the topic of conversation came around to daily plans.

"Well," said B'Elanna, "I'm busy in engineering all day and then I want to just relax in a hot bath." She turned to her husband. "Are you still going to the holodeck with Seven?"

Chakotay perked up. "What? Tom, when did Seven let you rope her into playing in Captain Proton?"

Tom laughed. "I managed it once when Harry was busy, but tonight was supposed to be more wholesome. I offered to teach Seven and Naomi how to skate before we were… you know." At the incredulous looks around the table Tom elaborated. "Naomi asked and insisted Seven come with her when Seven said she'd never had the opportunity. Growing up… on a small ship didn't allow for it," he finished with a melancholy frown.

"I guess not," Chakotay agreed, not as surprised by Tom's compassion as he once would have been. "So, are you three still skating?"

Tom shook his head. "The Doctor wants me in sickbay tonight. I had to cancel."

B'Elanna wore a particular smile the made Chakotay wary and amused at the same time. "Why, do you think you might take up the torch?"

Chakotay shrugged. "I could use the exercise and distraction." There was no arguing the second part of that statement. There were still dark circles under his eyes and no one failed to notice that he'd taken coffee with heavy doses of sugar and cream instead of his usual tea.

"You don't skate." B'Elanna still wore that smile, the one she usually wore when hearing about Harry's new flames.

"I don't figure skate," Chakotay corrected. "I used to play hockey when growing up and at the Academy."

"Good, then I don't have to feel too guilty about backing out." Tom smiled and Chakotay wasn't sure whether or not to be wary of coming gossip. At least Harry didn't look upset.

XXX

To Chakotay's relief Seven didn't contest the change in tutor. He couldn't know that Seven's heart skipped a beat when he visited astrometrics to tell her the news. He'd left, unaware how much anticipation he'd created, or how Seven watched him leave, her eyes lingering on his retreating form.

Everyone met that evening at the holodeck doors where Chakotay had already ordered the computer to start a wintery program. With a nod to Seven and a more enthusiastic greeting to Naomi, the three entered and beheld the scene.

Naomi gasped, delighted with the pine trees and frozen pond. There were a few other children at the far end of the ice and a hot chocolate stand off to the side. Some winter birds chirped from the snow-laden pine trees and the crackle of snow was delightful when they stepped from the doorway onto the fresh powder.

Their clothing changed for the environment as per the program's instructions and Seven glanced down, uncertain about the changes. Despite the projection of snow, the program didn't need to feel cold so it seemed pointless to create the padded jacket and pants they all wore. But then maybe practicality wasn't the point. Naomi took off her hat to admire the vibrant colours, exclaiming over the purple of Seven's parka and how comfy her own was.

"Everyone ready?" Chakotay led them to a bench where skates waited for them. He put on his own while Seven automatically kneeled to help Naomi with hers.

When everyone was ready, they waddled to the ice and with a deep breath, began the lesson… after helping both girls up from their almost immediate fall.

It was a full hour, but it went too quickly for everyone. The rest of the evening felt lonelier to Chakotay than other nights, the silence of his quarters full of emptiness rather than peace. In the stillness of those two or three hours between the holodeck and bed, Chakotay kept thinking of Seven. The more he pictured her face, her tiny smiles, and the easy way she interacted with Naomi, the more tenderness bubbled up inside him. Chakotay was a seasoned warrior and hardened from sour experiences in life and love, but he wasn't made of stone. That tenderness required only the slightest bit of sun to bud into something more…

XXX

Chakotay entered Astrometrics, expecting to see Seven and Icheb working as usual. He wasn't disappointed.

"Good afternoon, Commander." Seven's professional tone prompted Chakotay out of his momentary hesitation.

"Hello, Seven. Icheb." He smiled at the boy, who greeted him respectfully.

"Can we help you, Commander?" Icheb, as crisply military as Seven, practically stood at attention while he addressed Chakotay, who had to stifle a chuckle.

"I actually just wanted to run something by Seven." He hoped neither of them would notice his nervousness in this slight misdirection. He didn't need to worry. Icheb looked to Seven as though seeking permission for something. She nodded.

"If you don't mind, Commander, I have a lesson to get to. I was just about to leave. Will you excuse me?"

Chakotay gestured for him to go, relieved. "By all means, have fun."

The younger man disappeared, leaving Chakotay alone with Seven of Nine. Feeling unusually flustered by the pressure of Seven's steady attention, Chakotay felt the need to stall for time.

"So, what are you working on?"

"Just long-range scans."

"Nothing like long-range scans to get the adrenaline going," he said dryly. There was just a hint of a smirk at the corner of Seven's lips.

"Perhaps you should visit tomorrow if you require excitement. We're scheduled to upgrade the Delta Flyer's navigational systems."

Chakotay chuckled aloud as Seven's lips betrayed her amusement.

"What would you like to discuss, Commander?" Hints of the smile she had sported seconds ago remained in the softening of her pink lips. Her eyes seemed more open and gentle than usual. Chakotay swallowed, reminding himself why he came to visit in the first place.

"Seven, would you like to join me for dinner?" It took more gumption than he thought it would, but he forced the words out before he could stop himself.

Caught completely off guard, Seven hesitated, her brain refusing to accept what it had heard until she realized he must mean it would be a group party. Maybe he'd managed to organize a cooking class after all. When Commander Chakotay's question did sink in, she realized that she would have to decline.

"So?"

"I'm sorry, Commander, but I promised to meet the Doctor tonight."

"Oh." He thought a moment and gathered the rest of his courage. "Perhaps… Would lunch tomorrow be an appropriate alternative?"

Confused, but willing to accommodate her superior officer, Seven agreed. "Very well."

"All right. I'll meet you here?"

Seven nodded her agreement, as Chakotay smiled at her.

He turned to leave, but stopped with a sudden thought. "Oh, and just to be clear, this is a date – if that's all right." His suspicions were confirmed when he saw her pale a little and eyes widen. Still, she nodded once more.

"I understand."

When the Commander was gone Seven wondered why she had felt so stunned that she couldn't think of an excuse. She didn't socialize much, declining almost every offer in favour of work, not that offers were common. Dating itself almost never crossed her mind and when it did, the desire was instantly crushed by her pragmatism. The memory of her one and only date and the lack of options on Voyager were enough to quell any romantic desires… until she considered Commander Chakotay. That she wanted to join him was both frightening and exciting.

Unbidden, she remembered the previous evening of skating and how pleasant it had been to socialize with him and Naomi. Both girls were fast learners and Naomi soon skated off to join the children at the other end of the rink, leaving Seven to circle with the Commander. He'd offered his arm and after a quick glance at another couple to ensure she understood the gesture, she took it with an inexplicable thrill.

The fear lessened slightly and when she pictured his full smile, his happiness turned to focus on her, Seven felt nothing but pleased excitement.

XXX

Chakotay woke earlier than intended, earlier than he really wanted. For a few minutes he simply lay there, happy to be on Voyager instead of an alien planet and just as hopeful about his plans for the rest of the day.

Dressed and ready to grab a quick bite, Chakotay headed for the mess hall, his mind pleasantly engaged with thoughts of blond hair and a sensual turn of pink lips. The few people who passed by him did double takes, confused by the grin Chakotay didn't realize he wore.

"Good morning, Commander!" Neelix had a pot of tea ready and handed over a cup with his usual morning cheerfulness.

"Good morning, Neelix." He waved away Neelix's automatic offer of a full breakfast, grabbing pieces of fruit instead. Chakotay didn't notice Neelix shaking his head with a bemused smile. He had already turned away, whistling under his breath on his way to the bridge.

He drew a deep inhalation before stepping through the final door, adopting a more appropriate demeanour for work. However, the outward appearance of calm professionalism didn't necessarily reflect his internal thoughts.

"Is everything all right, Chakotay?" Captain Janeway leaned over the armrest to speak quietly, pulling Chakotay out of his distracted reverie.

"Fine, Captain. I was just lost in thought."

"Oh? What were you thinking about?"

Chakotay tried not to bristle, easily realizing that Kathryn didn't mean to pry. It was just her way of making conversation and satisfying an innate curiosity. "Nothing important."

"Did you want to have dinner tomorrow?" She brightened. "I promise not to burn the roast this time."

"As tempting as that is," he said with a chuckle, "I'm afraid I already have something planned tomorrow." It wasn't true, but he hoped it soon would be.

XXX

Icheb was a very perceptive, young man. He could recount the entire history of Starfleet and no small amount of Borg history by memory. The mysteries of stellar phenomenon, physics, and genetics were no mystery to Icheb. That said, there were many things about human behaviour that still escaped his notice. Luckily for Seven, she was adept enough at hiding her emotions that even if he'd possessed the knowledge, he wouldn't have noticed her distraction.

"Our schedule has changed. We will update the Delta Flyer tomorrow. Please run a full diagnostic of the sensors and then we will review your progress in identifying temporal anomalies."

Icheb nodded and before either one realized how long they had been working, it was noon.

"I'm not hungry," said Icheb, not looking up from his work. Seven sighed, but didn't argue. She'd learned to pick her battles with the boy. He would eat when he wanted.

"I'll bring you something." Icheb nodded distractedly. Seven supposed it was better this way. He didn't ask her any questions about why she was leaving so promptly when she usually waited until the mess hall was empty.

Seven stepped outside Astrometrics and was immediately greeted by Chakotay. He smiled and though a peculiar fluttering in her stomach prevented her from reciprocating, she managed to quirk her lips sufficiently.

"So, how is your day so far?" Chakotay asked.

"Busy, Commander. There were some anomalous readings during the night shift. We have been running diagnostics to confirm our equipment isn't faulty."

"It's Chakotay. What sort of readings? Anything we should be concerned about?"

"Unlikely. It appears to be failed attempts at long-range communication. Ensign Kim suggested it may be a pre-warp civilization."

"Anything we can understand?"

"No, the degradation of the message is too great. Attempts to discover its origin have failed as well."

Chakotay tried not to smile at her obvious frustration. "Well, then it must be a hopeless case."

"Commander?"

"Chakotay. If anyone had any hope of figuring it out, it would be you."

"You're attempting to flatter me."

"That's generally how flirting works." She kinked a brow at him and he sighed, pausing in the hallway while they were alone. He took in her rigid pose and the demeanor of a robot. "This isn't a staff meeting, Seven, and I asked you out because I want to get to know you on a more personal level."

"I'm afraid I don't understand… why."

"Why am I flattering you? Or why did I ask you out?"

"Both."

"Hmm. Well, the flattery is actual honest observation and I asked you out because I'm attracted to you." He watched carefully for some shock or shyness, maybe even a coy response, but she seemed merely puzzled. It wasn't the usual reaction. He found it oddly refreshing, even freeing that he could be blunt and honest without judgement. "Is that all right?"

Seven looked steadily at her commanding officer. He was a strong, intelligent man who had shown extreme loyalty and honesty without ever being cruel. In half a second she could think of twenty things to admire about him. That wasn't even considering his pleasing physical appearance…

Chakotay's smile widened when Seven gave a decisive nod, the hint of a blush tinging her fair cheeks. That sorted, they continued on into the mess hall.

Seven, nervous and endeavouring to utilize the few social skills the Doctor taught her, seized on the first topic of conversation that came to her. "Have you ever played the Captain Proton program?"

"No, it's not exactly to my taste. Have you?"

"I have been coerced into it when Ensign Kim is unavailable to play with Lt. Paris."

"How did you like it?"

"I do not understand Lt Paris' fascination with it."

"I can't imagine you would." Chakotay chuckled, picturing Seven's quiet pragmatism in the grandiose and ridiculously campy setting of Captain Proton. "What sort of holoprograms do you like?"

"The Doctor and I conduct music lessons and you know I play velocity with the Captain."

"Okay, but what do you like to do?" Chakotay watched her face, unsurprised that the question of her personal preference somewhat befuddled her.

"I suppose I do enjoy studying music and the physical exertion of velocity."

"Have you tried hoverball?"

"No." She eyed him askance. "Was that an invitation?"

"How about a challenge?"

"I've heard Lt. Torres talk about games with you. Perhaps it would be more of a challenge playing with her."

Chakotay's laughter echoed down the hallway. "You're probably right."

Lunch went well. So well in fact that Chakotay quietly asked Seven if she would like some cardiovascular training before her next velocity contest with Captain Janeway. With the tiniest smile on her pink lips, Seven nodded.

XXX

"Point." Chakotay said as Seven scored once more against him. They were on the holodeck in gym gear and sweating profusely. Chakotay took a moment to catch his breath, in awe of how quickly Seven recovered.

They lined up and were in action for minutes before Chakotay felt his stamina give out in the face of Seven's Borg enhancement. Then, there were other… things. He paused a second too long behind her, caught up in admiration of her agility. Her gym clothes revealed some extra metal on her arms, but he found it didn't detract from her appeal or distract him from his admiration in the least. His hesitation cost him another point, which ended the contest.

"Good game." Chakotay smiled earnestly at Seven, liking how her hair had come undone and the way she smiled at him. She seemed more relaxed, less physically stiff than usual and he wondered if that was a key to get her to open up. Physical exertion does get the endorphins going, he thought with amusement.

"Thank you. You are a formidable opponent yourself, Commander."

"Thanks, and it's Chakotay. We're not on duty."

"Chakotay," Seven allowed the correction with a twitch of her lips. She noticed how brightly Chakotay smiled at that, but didn't comment.

Seven followed the Commander to the side where their water bottles were stashed. For a minute or two they just caught their breath and rehydrated. Chakotay ran a towel over his wet forehead, oblivious to the attention he had suddenly gained.

There were no other words to explain how Seven felt as she observed Commander Chakotay other than aroused. It made her blush to realize that and she was grateful for the flush of exertion to cover her pink cheeks. He didn't seem to notice her staring so she took in his handsome face and sweaty muscles as he patted away the worst of it. She was no stranger to the human form or the appearance of a man exerted by exercise, but something was different in that moment and even she could pinpoint it. She already liked him and now she knew Chakotay was attracted to her. It gave license to reciprocate fully and observe the small details that had supported her first agreeing to spend time with him.

Chakotay turned and caught Seven's gaze. For a moment there was a connection without words. They were closer than Seven had first realized. She could feel the heat from his body mingling with hers and smell the mix of musk and cologne that was uniquely Chakotay. Far from unpleasant, it fogged her brain with a yearning she hadn't felt since Unimatrix Zero.

Her eyes were wide and beautiful, her shy admiration of him utterly enchanting. There was a hint of strawberries that intensified as Chakotay leaned forward. Seven drew closer as well, their breathing shallow and laboured for reasons besides their game.

Seven's Borg hand came to rest on Chakotay's chest. Her gaze flickered to it and her eyes widened.

"I'm sorry." As though a switch had been flipped, Seven drew back so quickly that Chakotay stumbled forward.

"What? What is it?"

"I'm sorry, I should go." She refused to meet his gaze again.

"Seven…" Chakotay called, deeply concerned, but she was gone. Perplexed, he ran over the entire encounter in his mind several times before finally leaving for a shower. Even after a night of poor sleep and deep contemplation he was not able to be certain what had caused the abrupt end to their time together.

Seven didn't rest well either. Though she regenerated, her usual oblivion was interrupted with flashes of a forest under siege. The forest and its occupants fled the foreign invaders, but there was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. The forest burned, its once peaceful horizon overshadowed by the immense doom of a Borg cube. The Queen's voice and visage overlooked the scene with satisfaction, welcoming her new drones…

XXX

Four days later Chakotay excused himself from his post. He didn't need to give a reason, but he could tell by the Captain's curious glance that it wouldn't be long before his increasingly frequent trips to Astrometrics would be questioned.

Alone for the day, Seven's figure was a single line of tamed physical beauty against the intimidating bulk of computers and screens that filled the room. Though she turned with visible surprise at his entrance, Chakotay couldn't help taking a second to admire her.

"Commander." Seven greeted him professionally, but with wariness. She guessed what he was there for and it wasn't her daily report. That had already been transmitted to him and Captain Janeway an hour ago.

"Good morning, Seven. Can I interest you in a game of hoverball later?" It was the same question, or a variation, he'd asked every day since their last game together. Her negative response each time had not deterred him in the least. He wasn't trying to make her uncomfortable. Rather, he had quickly developed his suspicions why she was refusing him.

"Commander -"

"Chakotay."

"Commander, I have work to do." To prove her point, Seven turned her back on him.

"Kadis-kot then."

"I'm sorry, Commander."

"Please, Seven? I'm sorry I overstepped my bounds. Give me another chance. I'll even give you full permission to slap me if I get too presumptuous again."

Honest to a fault, Seven couldn't help correcting his assumption. "You didn't do anything, Commander."

"Then what is it? I'd be happy with spending time with you as friends and colleagues if you don't want a more intimate relationship."

"Thank you, Commander, but I think my time would be better spent at my work."

There were a few moments of silence during which Seven feared to look behind her. Chakotay hadn't moved to the door or she would have heard the swish of them open, but he hadn't advanced toward her either. Was there pity in his eyes? Anger? Hurt? Understanding? She wasn't sure which would have been worse.

"All right, you get off one more day, but I want you to ask yourself why you are so afraid to try. Every time you get close to opening yourself up to people, you draw back into that Borg shell of yours." He wanted to go forward and turn her around to face him, but sensed it would be a step too far. He'd already let his temper get away from him. Giving up wasn't an option yet, though he couldn't explain exactly where his determination was coming from. He'd never dogged a woman's steps this much before. With a flash of amusement he wondered if that was the draw. We always want what we can't have, he thought wryly.

"I am Borg." Seven squared her shoulders, presenting Commander Chakotay with her usual, stoic image. She heard him sigh and felt her lips tremble. Still refusing to turn around, Seven knew her face would betray her conflict.

"No, you're not and you can't fool me anymore, Seven." Perceiving anything more would just be pushing his luck, Chakotay left then. The grey walls and carpet of the ship seemed more impersonal and unyielding than usual as he walked back to his post.

Janeway gave him a strange look as he took his seat, but he returned to work without offering an explanation.

XXX

"We've postponed your lessons long enough," chided the Doctor during Seven's weekly exam. "I won't take another brush off. I know you're busy, but you need to relax too."

"I'm sorry, Doctor. I… wasn't in the mood for piano lessons."

The Doctor was instantly concerned. "Why? What happened?"

Seven shook her head. "My schedule has simply been complex." No need to tell him that Chakotay's words kept turning in her head, that the mad desire to take him up on his offer and sensible alternative of letting things remain as they were kept pushing each other around so she could barely focus on her tasks. Never mind the headaches. They were becoming more frequent and distracting even during regeneration. Regeneration itself was problematic with nightmares plaguing her almost every night.

"Hmm." The Doctor took a closer look at his scans. "Have you been having any trouble regenerating?"

"No." At least nothing she wanted to speak about.

"No unexplained pain?"

"Some minor headaches," she said, becoming worried. "Is my cortical node-"

"It's fine, just some anomalous readings and your electrolytes are down. You haven't been regenerating enough." He set his scanner down and gave her a stern look. "Stress is not good for anyone's physiology, Seven. I suspect your headaches are from too much work and not enough time for yourself."

"I am not stressed." She straightened a little automatically as though to prove her hardiness.

"Very well, but you do work more than anyone on this ship. So, I'll give you an option. Take off work early for the next few days for some music lessons with me and I won't force you to take medical leave."

It wasn't what she really wanted to hear, but learning something would at least keep her from feeling useless or like she was shirking her duties. "What about your holonovel?"

"It's almost finished so I can take some time away from it."

"Very well." She still wasn't in the mood, but the alternative was worse. "May I return to duty now?"

"Yes. I'll meet you tonight at 16:00 hours." He tried not to look too smug as Seven almost protested the early time then swallowed her complaint, obviously thinking it unwise to contradict him.

XXX

"Commander," Icheb said with surprise, "can I help you?"

Chakotay knew it was fruitless, but he glanced around the lab again, seeking the female figure he'd come to expect as a permanent fixture in front of the computer. "I was looking for Seven actually."

"She and the Doctor are having a music lesson," Icheb explained. "I'm not sure which holodeck they decided to use. Would you like me to check?"

Chakotay smiled through his disappointment and shook his head. He could easily get that information himself and besides… "I don't want to bother them. Thank you, Icheb."

Outside of astrometrics Chakotay paused, wondering if he really should just leave Seven alone. He knew better than to believe her Borg indifference, but she was obviously unwilling to acknowledge her own feelings… and he knew there were feelings there. The depth of them he was uncertain about, but he'd seen her pain as she turned him away and caught her looking at him more than once.

No, he couldn't give up no matter Seven's stubbornness.

XXX

Much later that evening Seven made her solitary way to the cargo bay, rubbing her forehead absently as it throbbed. The Doctor had done a great deal to improve her performance, adding a metronome to her repertoire to increase precision. Unfortunately, the lesson had done nothing to lessen the throbbing in her temples, merely giving her veins a tempo to pulse to.

It wasn't until she calmed herself with a few deep breaths and entered her alcove that she felt her body return to a semi-normal state. With the sound of the metronome ticking in her memory, the pain in her head receded. The steady, even pace of the ticking was stability, order, unity.

XXX

"Are you coming?" Icheb asked. He held a pretty box with a ribbon perched on top. "The baby shower is already in progress."

"I will be along in a little while," Seven assured him. She turned back to her work, holding her breath until the doors closed behind the young man. It wasn't so much that she was avoiding Tom and B'Elanna. She wished them all the happiness to be desired, but she also wished to avoid uncomfortable social situations.

I could go, Seven thought. My presence will be expected and it is considered rude to not attend a party you are invited to.

But what if I make an error? The thought terrified her, stiffening her resolve not to attend the celebration. She could give B'Elanna her present at another time when there were fewer chances of social infractions occurring. Certainly the happy couple didn't want or didn't care if Seven, a former Borg drone, appeared at their party. It was safer for her to stay put.

I was invited.

You know Commander Chakotay will be there, came an annoying voice that sounded too much like her own. The thought left her feeling nervous and unsettled. Worse, she both wished to see him there and to avoid seeing him ever again. It's better this way, she thought and continued work.

The doors to Astrometrics opened and Seven turned, expecting Icheb had returned for something. "I won't be long – Oh, Commander."

Chakotay smiled at Seven's surprise. "Good, you are going to the shower."

"Yes." She couldn't lie to him. He set the duty shifts and he knew she wasn't working on anything that couldn't wait.

"We can go together then." He was careful to keep his smile pleasant and passive, well aware that Seven was the least reliable partygoer. Heck, she'd already blown off at least a dozen attempts of his to get her out of her routine. It hadn't taken much to know she'd look for any excuse to hide from B'Elanna's baby shower.

With a sigh, Seven took the small box of baby shoes from the top of her console and followed Commander Chakotay out. They hadn't gone far before she had reason to believe it would have been better to hide in a Jeffries tube.

"Seven, I'm going to ask you something and I want you to be completely honest with me."

Seven nodded, trepidation making her heart pound.

"Did I say or do something that offended you?"

"No, Commander." Quite the opposite.

"So I didn't overstep my bounds when we-"

"No, Commander." She blushed.

"All right. And you do like… did have a good time… together with me?"

Talking and simply enjoying his company had been easier than she would ever have expected. "Yes."

"Then why the cold shoulder? You can tell me."

"You know why." She glanced at his kind face, but was unable to bear looking long.

"Being an ex-Borg-"

"I am B-"

"Ex. You are human. I won't accept it as an excuse. So explain it to me."

There was no way to explain everything, especially since so much of it was unacknowledged and unassessed. Why did she feel unworthy of true companionship? Why did she yearn for it almost as much as she feared it? She chose to lean on the most superficial reasoning. "I am not in the habit of dating."

"Neither am I."

"Commander?"

"It's Chakotay. In case you haven't heard, I'm not exactly a prolific dater either."

"Perhaps not, but you have experience at least and the knowledge of human social habits. I have neither." She sighed, voicing what she'd suspected since her first day on Voyager. "It is unlikely I ever will."

"You're being too hard on yourself."

"I am Borg. That should bother you."

"But it doesn't and it doesn't bother anyone else besides you." Inspiration struck. "I'm even willing to bet on it. How about we make a deal?"

"Commander?"

"If we can get through this baby shower without anyone mentioning your past without your prompting them, then you have to go on a date with me… a real one this time. If it does become an issue, then I'll leave you alone."

He was persistent. She had to give him that and she had to respect his conviction. If nothing else, that was something she couldn't ignore. "Very well, Commander, but your terms are not particularly difficult. I don't believe there will be much discussion of the Collective."

"Chakotay. Call me Chakotay, and they're not meant to be difficult terms. I intend to make a point and earn some time with a beautiful woman." As he'd hoped, Seven gave an amused smirk before supressing it.

Over an hour later and the party was in full swing, a gathering of truly happy people for celebration of a happy event. B'Elanna and Tom occupied the centre stage with presents surrounding them like a fortress. They had opened each one, some prompting laughs and others moans of adoration from the females.

"I'm surprised to see you here," said the Doctor. He stood at Seven's elbow, a glass of champagne in his hand though he couldn't drink it.

"I was invited," Seven said simply.

"I know." He rolled his eyes. "But I half expected you to hide or maybe put in a token appearance and then run."

"It would have been rude."

"Yes, but I'm glad to see you're learning." The Doctor eyed the room, smirking as Chakotay and Janeway conversed animatedly by the windows. "Lover's spat," he said with a chuckle.

Seven glanced up in surprise. "Do you think so?" There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach she didn't understand.

The Doctor shrugged, his attention diverted to some of the foods Neelix was carting out. He hadn't really meant what he said in any case.

"They have a strong relationship."

The Doctor laughed without noticing the way Seven's eyes continuously strayed to Commander Chakotay. "Yes, I guess they better. They've been through enough together."

"Yes, I suppose they have," Seven said so quietly that the Doctor didn't hear.

"So, no champagne tonight?" The Doctor eyed her empty hands. "Probably wise if you're still having trouble with your implants."

"I am functioning within normal parameters."

"Oh, well, that's good." For a moment he watched the festivities. Seven was silent, trying to make the internal unease match the external calm. "Now, what did you get them?"

Seven eyed the dwindling pile of presents and noticed hers was unopened still. "It's a surprise," she said, rather proud of her choice.

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you don't have much experience with these things. I could have helped you decide."

Seven's shoulders tightened, but she refused to allow her hurt to show. "I conducted research on appropriate gifts."

"Oh, good idea."

As Neelix drew closer to B'Elanna with a selection of sugary confections, the Doctor moved to intervene, talking about the importance of diet for pregnant women.

Seven watched her commanding officers converse, contemplating their complex relationship and feeling the tendrils of jealousy cloying for attention. It was widely known even to Seven that Janeway and Chakotay had a challenging past. There were whispers of romance every week during the Captain and Commander's regular dinner dates, but the whispers quelled slightly when the Commander left disappointingly early and stopped in the mess for a snack before bed. Seven knew the two leaders didn't always agree, but they always referred to themselves as friends. She wondered if there was something more, something she had missed or that she should be wary of.

Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay were apart from the crowd, allowing Seven the opportunity to practice some of the social lessons she had absorbed very well: reading body language. A person's underlying meaning was sometimes difficult to understand, but their body language more often than not gave Seven clues. The more she watched, the more she disbelieved the rumour mill. While Chakotay and Janeway were talking with animation and obvious interest, there was nothing but professionalism and some guardedness in their stances. She dared think Chakotay was even showing signs of wanting to leave Janeway. Sure enough, he soon drew away.

Chakotay's conversation with Janeway ended and he took the opportunity to rejoin Seven. "So, how are you doing?"

"Fine. I enjoyed watching them open their presents."

"Are you glad you came?"

Seven glanced around at the revelry, noting how happy everyone was. "Yes, I am. Thank you, Commander."

"What are you doing for dinner tomorrow?"

"I usually consume my meals here," she said with bemusement. There were no food replicators in the cargo bay so she had to attend the mess hall.

"You promised me a date," he reminded her.

Seven considered telling him of her conversation with the Doctor. It would certainly meet his condition to win her the bet and the mention of his relationship with Captain Janeway could make him reconsider a relationship with her. She opened her mouth to tell him, but the words wouldn't come because she didn't want to.

"The party isn't over."

Chakotay laughed. "Seven of Nine, will you please go out with me tomorrow?"

Smiling now, Seven nodded. "Yes."

"Not here though." He glanced around the room, which was bustling and loud. "I think the mess hall is a little crowded for my tastes even when there's not a party going on."

Seven took a moment to answer. She wasn't adept at interpreting facial expressions since they were so much more complex, but even she could see that his eyes held nothing but hope, hope she would agree.

It was a tremulous nod, but it was an assent, one he hoped to prove wise. "Great. I have some holodeck time booked. Meet me at 1900hrs?"

XXX

Seven was initially nervous that she would meet someone in the hallway and have to explain where she was going. She wasn't in the mood to do so. Luck was with her though. Everyone was busy at work, in the mess hall or relaxing in their quarters so she met no one on her way.

When she arrived at the holodeck she hesitated, wondering if she should announce her presence or just go in. She chose the latter.

The program was already running, a forest in full sunlight and all the glory of spring lay spread out before her. Chakotay was nowhere to be seen, but Seven knew he had to be there so she occupied herself with looking around until he showed himself.

It was a beautiful location. Even Seven had to admit that. It was a recreation of a rainforest, but none she could recognize, not that she had much experience. Everything was green and lush with explosions of colourful flowers here and there. The call of hidden birds contrasted with the soft swishing of trees in the wind.

Seven closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

"There you are." Chakotay realized he'd startled her from a private moment and smiled sheepishly, emerging fully from the thick ferns. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No need to be sorry, Commander. I shouldn't have allowed my attention to wander."

"Seven," he said with a touch more seriousness, "before we do anything else we need to get something straight."

"Commander?"

"It's Chakotay. Most people don't call me by my rank when not on duty and you certainly have the right to do the same." He smiled at her, hoping to coax her out of her shell. So far it was proving more difficult than he anticipated.

"If you think it appropriate," was her terse reply.

"Not only is it appropriate, it is expected on a date. Please."

"Very well, Chakotay." She felt a lightness overcome her anxiety and she found it ridiculously difficult to stop her own lips from mirroring his wide smile.

"Good. Now, if you'll follow me…" He led her the short distance into a break in the trees. On the soft, forest floor lay a blanket and picnic. Fruit, bread, cheese, and a selection of drinks lay spread out for them. "I hope you don't mind the simple fare or the holodeck. If we were near a Class M planet we might have had the opportunity to do this in the real outdoors."

"The holodeck is more than sufficient," Seven assured him.

"Is it?" He eyed her. "How much research on dating have you done?" They sat, Seven with enough grace to make Chakotay stare before handing her a sandwich.

"A little with the Doctor a while ago and a few minutes of independent research this afternoon."

"Hmm. So, this is an appropriate venue. What would be good for a third?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

Seven pressed her lips together, realizing she was being teased. "Are you certain this one will be a success?"

Chakotay smirked. "Don't underestimate my charm. I might not have researched it, but I've been known to have a romantic streak."

Seven surprised herself with a short laugh. "Very well. The computer offered a number of suggestions. I can provide them to you later." This time she didn't hide her shy smile.

"Is that so?"

"Yes." Seven glanced around at their surroundings. "What is this recreating?"

"Do you like it? I wasn't sure it would be to your taste."

"I have not spent much time in nature," she agreed. "However, it is a pleasant environment, peaceful."

"Yes, it was in reality as well."

"Was?"

"This is a recreation of Dorvan V."

"I see. Is it not difficult for you to be here?"

"No, not anymore." He sighed, looking at the trees and blue sky. "Sometimes I run this program to feel closer to the things and people I miss."

"I can see why." Her own losses came to mind and she found it difficult to say anything more. Despite her discomfort, she didn't look away as Chakotay met her sympathetic gaze. In that moment she was struck by his features, how reflective of his kindness his eyes were. She'd known he was considered handsome by human standards, but she wasn't vain personally and good looks were not enough to catch her eye. More than looks it was his internal qualities which made her appreciate his attention. She was sure his face would not seem so handsome if his lips didn't so easily lift into a smile or if his eyes didn't hold the sweetness and intelligence that made her want to trace his face.

Chakotay cleared his throat, breaking their hypnotism. "Do you have anything of your parents that you reflect on?"

"No. There are some pictures in Voyager's database, but I haven't looked at them in a long time. They don't bring me comfort the way your program does for you." Perhaps it was because she didn't remember much, but the data and pictures tended to make her melancholy more than anything.

"What does give you comfort then?"

"What makes you think I need anything?" There was the coldness back again, the defensive posture up so fast that it made Chakotay blink in confusion. Just as quickly, he understood why.

"It's not weak, Seven. We all need something or someone to make us feel at home and less alone sometimes." She remained silent, her gaze returned to the surrounding forest. "Do you think I'm weak for coming here, or for using my spiritual beliefs to gain perspective in life?"

"No, I don't."

He touched her cybernetic hand, drawing her attention again. "Then why assume you will be held to a different standard?"

"I had not thought of it that way."

"You once asked why I was interested in a date."

Seven nodded, still uncertain she understood the meagre reason he'd previously provided. Did he pity her or did he have an ulterior motive as the Doctor once had when he bet on her?

"I like you, Seven. There's not a lot more to it than that. You're extremely intelligent, kind, brave, selfless, strong, loyal, and… when you described your experience on Quarra, I thought we could understand each other. Neither of us have a lot to hold onto. "

"We have Voyager."

"Yes, my point exactly."

"We are very lucky," she said quietly. If it weren't for Voyager, for Captain Janeway, she would still be in the Collective.

Chakotay smiled at her. "That we are." He pulled off a few grapes, chewing them absently as they sat in a comfortable silence. He noted with interest the items Seven selected. She seemed to have a fondness for the pile of strawberries and mango.

"Have you ever used a tire swing?" he asked suddenly, trying to lighten the mood. It was, after all, a date.

"No, not that I can recall. Did you program one into this simulation?"

Chakotay nodded. "But I haven't had the courage to try it out. The last time I saw someone use a tire swing was during my cousins' birthday." He grinned at the memory.

"What happened?"

"My cousin had the bright idea to get into the tire and his brother pushed it as hard as he could. They didn't pay attention to the stability of the branch it was tied to though so my cousin and the entire swing ended up rolling through half the forest."

Seven smiled. "Then you are wise to be wary."

"I suppose it was just their luck though. They were always getting into some sort of trouble." He had Seven's full, amused attention. "I think it was during the same visit they broke into my uncle's liquor cabinet. We were all about twelve. There may have been a few boats sunk and maybe one accidentally lit on fire."

"And you, of course, had nothing to do with any of these events?" Seven asked with a slight quirk at the corner of her lips. Chakotay laughed.

"Of course not, I was a perfect angel."

"That's not what Lt. Torres says." There was a definite crinkle around Seven's eyes now.

"She doesn't know what she's talking about," he said with mock offense.

"Really? Perhaps we should call and ask for more details." Seven's hand rose to her badge, but Chakotay seized it playfully.

"Don't you dare..."

"Your guilt betrays you," she said, unaware for a moment of her unguarded expression. Chakotay laughed at himself, falling silent as he took in her beauty. To his surprise and delight, she began to blush and dipped her head when their mutual staring became unavoidably apparent. She tried then to busy herself with putting the remainder of their simple meal into the basket. Chakotay shuffled closer to her.

"You know, you have a beautiful smile. You should do it more often."

"It wasn't a smile, sir. It was a smirk." But she couldn't suppress the evidence to the contrary. Her amusement and enjoyment of his presence, as novel as it was, wouldn't be wiped away.

"Oh, no, it was definitely a smile. I can check the internal sensors if you want proof." His shoulder accidentally brushed hers, making her realize how close they were sitting, but she didn't move away. She wouldn't have wanted to even if the thought crossed her mind.

"That won't be necessary, Chakotay." They were close enough now that if either one leaned forward their lips would meet. For a long pause Chakotay seriously thought about it, but some sense of wrong halted him. He was afraid that if he pushed too fast she would retreat again. His fear snapped Chakotay to his senses and prompted him to stand instead.

"Come on," he said, holding out his hand to her. She took it, appearing confused and slightly disappointed as he helped her stand. "If you're up for it, I'd like to show you more of the forest."

Seven smiled easily this time, not overlooking that he hadn't released her hand. He didn't even seem to notice the metal trappings that were surely colder than her flushing skin. A bit of pain sparked in her head, but not enough to distract her.

They were about to move further into the holographic forest when a jolt to the ship had them scrambling for safe purchase. With a shared look, they left the holodeck to see what had caused Voyager to lurch so violently. It didn't take long to find out.

XXX

"How's it going?" Chakotay entered Astrometrics and felt the stress in his shoulders dissipate, eased by the knowledge that Seven was at her post and working as hard as ever. She, however, didn't relax her tense stance.

"Slowly." She had barely turned to greet him before facing the irritating problem of detecting the mines that threatened Voyager's progress.

"I'm sure you'll get it in no time." She didn't respond, but he knew better than to be offended. "So, I wondered if you'd like to get together again."

That got her attention. Seven's hands froze, but a smile pulled irrepressibly. She was too aware that he was watching, his own growing smile mirroring hers. Summoning some mock naivety, she folded her hands behind her back and faced him. "To do what?"

Oh, if she only knew what I'd like to do, thought Chakotay. If it weren't for her inexperience with romantic relationships, Chakotay would have thought she was being coy. The teasing, almost sensual curve of her pink lips tempted him immensely. He wanted so much to know what those lips tasted like.

Leaning against her console and closer to her, Chakotay pulled out his most charming smile. "That depends. What does your research say about a quiet dinner in my quarters?"

"I believe that would be a more appropriate fifth date."

Was he being teased? It was as good an invitation as he'd hoped for. "I'm willing to skip ahead if you are."

Seven nodded, realizing at the same time he did just how close he was. His breathing hitched just a little and she found herself entranced by his physical presence, the darkening of his eyes as he leaned forward just a little more.

A loud beeping from Seven's console drew their attention. She suppressed a smirk as a frustrated sigh escaped Chakotay's chest.

"Perhaps we should wait until Voyager is no longer in danger of these mines," said Seven. She looked at Chakotay and a swelling of protective adoration filled her. Though she wanted very much to spend the night in his quarters, making dinner with him and chatting amiably, the ship was in danger and she would not allow him to be harmed because of something as mundane as a minefield.

"Agreed." Back to their business, Chakotay bid Seven a quick goodbye so she could continue searching for a way to save their hides.

Though the ship was in danger and Chakotay knew he shouldn't be as excited as he was, he could barely suppress the urge to whistle.

Captain Janeway turned to Chakotay once he'd settled himself back in his seat. "So, what are you doing tonight? B'Elanna fixed my replicator if you'd like to come over."

Chakotay cringed internally, dreading both coming up with an excuse and the thought of Kathryn Janeway's cooking regardless of a working replicator. The woman could burn water. It was a honed skill. He knew it was dangerous to lie to his superior, but he really couldn't stomach another ruined meal or round of antacids from sickbay. "I'm sorry, Kathryn, but I already have plans. Rain check?"

Though her curiosity burned, Captain Janeway held her questions in check and merely assured him they could schedule something for later. It wasn't like him to blow her off. They usually had dinner once a week as a means to talk. One could say it was to catch up on ship functions not mentioned in reports, personnel issues and the like, but it was more than that. They were friends, but Janeway and Chakotay came from such different backgrounds and beliefs that their bond required work and reaffirmation. Each breach of trust between them was a rift they had to heal, a scar to look at and occasionally feel twinge.

XXX

Chakotay entered the holodeck expecting to see Sandrine's, Fair Haven, or one of the other popular programs Tom had set up, but he was met by a quiet San Francisco street. He recognized it as part of a high-end restaurant and shopping district. Contrary to the real thing, there were only a few people here and there, giving the air of a real city without the uncomfortable crowding Chakotay knew Seven disliked.

One of the restaurants had its doors open, letting a refreshing breeze in and allowing a beautiful tune from a piano flow out. Lured by the music, Chakotay entered the stone-faced building and was genuinely surprised by what he saw.

They were finally free from the minefield and though Chakotay had hoped to woo Seven with dinner in his quarters, she'd pre-empted him with an invitation to the holodeck. There'd been a hint of shy excitement that he'd been unable to resist so he readily agreed.

The restaurant was empty but for a bartender, a maître de and a female pianist with her instructor. It was the pianist who drew Chakotay's attention as he immediately recognized the blonde though her clothing was different. The instructor he didn't know, but assumed it was a separate program.

As the music teacher reached for a new sheet of Mozart, Seven glanced at the door. Her cheeks reddened when she saw Chakotay standing there. He came forward as she quickly turned the instructor's program off.

"Hello, Chakotay." She smoothed her grey sweater nervously, wondering if she should have chosen a dress or maintained her usual appearance instead of the black pants and modest top. Chakotay didn't mention it, but she noted his appreciative gaze lingering.

"Hello." He smirked. "That wasn't the Doctor. I thought he had a monopoly on all things musical around here."

"Yes, well, we have had a few lessons already, but he has been busy with writing a holonovel recently. He promised to resume instructing me in a few weeks."

"To be honest, I'm not sure you really need much more instruction. That was beautiful," he said.

"I require more discipline," she said dismissively, easily accepting what she perceived as a major flaw in technique. "Would you like to sit down?"

Seven led him to a table already set with candles not far from the piano. A gentleman, Chakotay held her chair for her. As they sat another character took up position at the piano and tinkered out a soft melody that drifted in and out of the background.

"How long have you been in here? I'm not late, am I?"

"You're early. I had the afternoon off so I took the time to prepare and," her shy smile turned embarrassed, "practice. I hope you like pizza."

Chakotay remembered some of the greasy mass of cheese and dough Tom had once forced down everyone's throats. "Um."

"I made it," she said with a knowing grin.

"I'm sure it will be wonderful then." Indeed, it changed how he felt about the situation immensely. The waiter came from the back and offered a selection of drinks. Chakotay raised a brow at some of the options. "Wine?"

"I can't have any, but I thought you might like some." Though she thought some synthehol might take care of her nerves, she knew better than to experiment when her implants were so easily affected by it.

"Water is fine." The waiter nodded and disappeared to return with a full pitcher. "So, where did you hear about this program?"

"I didn't. I created it."

Chakotay quirked a brow. "What gave you the idea then?"

"I overheard Neelix speaking to Ensign Kim about San Francisco. Ensign Kim indicated this was a romantic location." She stuttered slightly over the mention of romance and blushed.

"He was right." He took in the stone walls, the fireplace, wood furniture and coloured bottles at the bar. Though he'd never visited this particular establishment, he knew a dozen others like it and had expressed appreciation for them in the past. Not that Seven could have known that.

"Do you like it?"

Chakotay smiled earnestly. "It's wonderful. Of course I like it."

Their dinner was set out, the gourmet pizza nothing like Tom's creation. The dough was soft and infused with herbs, the sauce thick and tasty and even the vegetables on top were fresh and perfectly prepared. Too hot to be handled, they had to resort to cutlery, serving a secondary purpose of keeping their consumption more civilized.

"So, how long have you been learning to play?" He nodded in the direction of the piano.

"I've had five lessons."

Chakotay choked on his food. "A week? But that was… impressive."

Seven smirked. "Thank you, but I do require more practice. Do you play?"

"Not enough to mention. I recognized early on that unless people wanted their ears to bleed, then I should stay away from musical instruments."

"If only someone could instill such an awareness in the Doctor regarding his fondness for opera houses."

"Yes," he said with a laugh, "I'm sure we could find a few volunteers to help us with that."

"How was your shift today?"

Chakotay stifled the urge to sigh. "It was nothing special. Captain Janeway and I argued over some changes to our course. I'm sure you saw the data on the systems we passed." Seven nodded. "And I'm going to change some of your shifts on the next rotation."

"What?"

"Seven, you signed up for five nightshifts on top of your regular hours."

"Engineering requested the assistance." Though it had been awhile since she could recall encountering an issue, she felt the need to ask. "Was there a complaint about me?"

"No," Chakotay shook his head. "Not at all, but you'll overwork yourself. Let someone else work at least some of those shifts."

"I enjoy my duties."

"I know, but maybe I want to steal you away for myself one of those nights. I did promise you dinner at my place." He was only partly teasing.

"Then I suppose I will have to acquiesce," she said with a smirk.

"Good." He hesitated. "Just don't tell B'Elanna I was the one who pulled you away."

"She had a lot of work set aside. Perhaps I can convince Icheb to assist."

"That," he said with enthusiasm, "is a great idea."

They finished their meal mostly in comfortable silence. When the waiter cleared their table Chakotay eyed the empty space in front of the piano. It was smooth wood set in front of a fireplace.

Chakotay stood and held out his hand. "Would you grace me with a dance?"

"I -" With a mortifying memory of the last time she danced with a living human flashing through her mind, Seven wanted to run. "I'm not certain that's a good idea."

The lift of his lips was too knowing for Seven's comfort, but it was kind so she couldn't feel the humiliation she would have expected. "I won't break. Just follow my lead."

With great trepidation and attention to how much strength she used, Seven took his warm hand and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. The pianist took up a tune she was unfamiliar with, which increased her unease. Chakotay pulled her into his arms, one hand at her back and the other holding her hand. Seven couldn't help but notice how much closer he held her than the Doctor had. Their bodies were flush together so that their steps were shorter, their stance more intimate than she had anticipated.

"All right?" Chakotay wasn't smiling anymore. He didn't regret asking her to dance, but he was afraid his desire and impulses were going to get him into trouble.

Seven nodded and allowed herself to lean in a little closer, enjoying the rare feeling of physical contact. She was aware that it was nothing incredible. They were just dancing after all, but there seemed something more intimate in the embrace than there normally would have been. There was a charge in the air that even she could feel. It reminded her of when she'd realized she and Axum had once been a couple.

Now that she was so close it was hard to think of anything besides the feel of her against his body. Her eyes were blue smoke as they looked at him. The pinch of her expression was still shy and uncertain, something Chakotay was more used to seeing when she was faced with new social situations. However, there was a confidently woman quality hiding there too. The way her arm curled around his shoulder and her usually stiff posture melted slightly in his arms revealed more than she was aware of. Like the answer to a long and complicated math problem, Chakotay's realization struck him out of his musing. If he hadn't been caught before, he certainly was then. He could have laughed out loud at the irony of it. Wasn't it just his luck that he'd come to adore the only person he'd ever tried to jettison into space?

"What would you like to do?" Seven asked, hoping to remove her nervousness with conversation.

"Pardon?" For a moment Chakotay wondered if she had sensed his thoughts. Did she know how much he wanted to kiss her right then?

"For these coveted moments together when I could be assisting in engineering," she said, feeling her teasing mood renew itself. "What would you like to do?"

"Does this mean you anticipate more time together?"

"Don't underestimate your own charm."

Chakotay laughed and drew her closer as they swayed. She rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sure we can think of something. I'd love to hear you play and I would definitely enjoy more dancing."

Unable to form words for the moment, Seven merely nodded, a blush creeping past her defenses, hiding it by turning her head into his shoulder.

Here, thought Chakotay with happy contentedness, is a woman no one else has seen. He could have stayed like that for hours.

As they danced, a headache began to build.

The shift of her head from his shoulder made Chakotay look down. Her face was slightly pale, but when he met her eyes he became distracted. They ceased to dance, instead leaning closer.

There was a buzzing in Seven's head, the foggy distraction of all but sensation as Chakotay's lips met hers. Their chaste kiss became deeper, Chakotay leading their movements as Seven became caught up in the moment and the feel of his firm body against hers. There was nothing in the universe beyond them.

Eventually they parted and smiled at each other, leaning close again to dance, enjoying the physical closeness more than any actual dance moves.

As they swayed, the buzzing of distraction became more pronounced and mechanical while her headache grew in intensity. She ignored it as best she could, but it continued drawing more and more of Seven's attention until she reached the safe respite of her regeneration unit. Though she didn't know it, the alcove's programming analysed her physiology as soon as she entered. It immediately picked up the changes in her brain chemistry and the failsafe activation in her implants.

Though the Collective considered emotions irrelevant and had believed itself above such things, the Queen's last experiences with Seven and Voyager had convinced her of the pervasiveness of emotions. In the hope of preventing more drones from going AWOL, the Queen had instigated some new programming into cortical nodes.

That night Seven dreamed of the Collective. As a ticking metronome sounded throughout the background, Seven walked the hallways of Voyager. The smooth grey of Voyager's corridors melded into the cloying blackness of Borg technology. The further Seven walked, the more Borg technology confronted her. She began to see Voyager's crew in various stages of assimilation.

When she reached the bridge, everyone and everything was fully Borg.

A drone stood in the centre of the room and when it turned, she recognized it to be Chakotay, or a warped and hollow version of him. He held out a metal hand to her and when she reached back, she too was fully Borg… as she was meant to be.

With the next morning the dream faded and though something niggled in the back of Seven's mind when she thought about Chakotay and their date, any doubts she had were shoved aside when he came to take her to lunch.

XXX

It had been a longer day than usual. First had been some malfunctioning relays in Astrometrics, then some incorrect algorithms in the computer had her down in engineering for half the day while she and B'Elanna tried to sort out where and what the problem was, and in the middle of it all had been Q endangering Icheb.

Seven returned to Astrometrics where Icheb and Q were saying goodbye. Though she was not angry with the young Q, she was gratified to note a hint of sheepishness when he saw her.

"Thanks, Icheb. I don't think I'll be back too often, but I'm glad we met."

Icheb nodded. "I am as well. Thank you for your assistance." Icheb indicated the computer as he said this, drawing Seven's curiosity.

"Sure." Q turned to Seven. "I'm sorry for…" Q glanced at Icheb, "for what I did."

Seven smiled. "You are forgiven."

Icheb looked between them, but didn't pry. He had an uneasy suspicion that if Q didn't want to admit something, then it was better left unsaid.

"Well, I guess that's it. See ya." With a snap of his fingers, the young man was gone. Seven sighed in relief. It wasn't that she disliked the young Q. Once he'd stopped his antics and been humbled she found him almost as agreeable as Icheb. Still, she liked her routine and Q made everyone nervous. More than that, the extra demands on everyone's time since the young Q arrived had caused Seven and Chakotay to cancel all but the odd meal together. Q's presence had made Captain Janeway more demanding and strict, requesting Chakotay work more to compensate for the uncertainty and trouble she anticipated to come along with the Q. That, added on to his teaching schedule and regular duties left little time for socializing.

Her hopes were answered shortly by a quick message on her console. He was still busy, but he offered to make her dinner the night after next. Seven sent a quick acceptance and went about the rest of her day with the hint of a smile.

XXX

Chakotay heard the door chime and smiled widely in anticipation. True to form, Seven was exactly on time. He recognized some of her social lessons as well in that she came with a bottle of something. He raised a brow as she came in.

"Jolobian nectar," she explained, indicating the bottle.

"Ah, excellent choice." It was one of the gifts gained from the Quarra incident. It was similar to wine, but with a lower alcohol content and sweetness more like juice. The property that made it a valued gift was not so much the taste as the medicinal qualities it possessed. Along with being delicious if you possessed a sweet tooth, the drink was exceptionally healthy. The Doctor had declared humans could probably live off the drink alone.

She set the bottle on the table and while Chakotay pulled their dinner from the oven, Seven uncorked and poured their drinks.

"Now, I know it's not up to your standards, so I hope you'll go easy on my cooking skills."

Seven smiled, recognizing the recipe. "Talaxian tenderloin?"

Chakotay inclined his head, caught. "Yes, I took Neelix's course. I wanted to surprise you with something edible and not replicated."

"I had heard that was his more popular option."

"Actually, his ice cream night was a hit."

"Shall I guess what's for dessert?"

"I hope you like triple chocolate truffle cake. I must admit I'm rather proud of it."

"Then I'm sure it is perfect." They raised their glasses together, clinking them lightly before digging in.

It was a short night despite the preparation that went into it, both officers having early morning shifts. The failsafe buzzed warningly at the goodnight kiss, but otherwise had no reason to shut down the wayward drone.

XXX

Seven normally walked fast, but there was an extra rush to her step as she headed to the cargo bay, desiring nothing more than to regenerate. The day had been full. There were Icheb and Naomi's lessons, her testimony in the Doctor's hearing and her regular duties. The day and her lack of rest had been such that she'd cancelled a lunch date with Chakotay and begged to postpone their next dinner date. He'd been gracious, but Seven was greatly disappointed. She considered changing her mind, but every time she did there was a twinge in her left temple.

Seven was almost at her destination when a familiar voice called for her attention.

"Seven," the Doctor shouted, hurrying to catch up.

"Doctor." She folded her hands behind her back and waited for him.

"I wanted to thank you," he almost blushed despite being a hologram, "properly for your support."

"It isn't necessary, Doctor. You're my friend." It was true and she didn't need to point out that the results of his sentiency hearing would affect the rest of Voyager's crew as well. It was in everyone's best interest if Starfleet acknowledged the Doctor's contributions and individual consciousness.

"Still, I'd like to do something for you." He grew a little ashamed. "I need to thank you properly and apologize for my portrayal of you in my holonovel."

Seven's eyes widened slightly, realizing he thought she had played the program like several other officers. The descriptions she'd heard about it had sufficed well enough for her knowledge up to that point and she didn't relish the thought of the Doctor going into further detail. As far as she knew or wanted to know about her character, she was a sympathizer who helped the Doctor attempt an escape.

"I assure you, I didn't mean any disrespect and I never -"

"It's all right, Doctor, from what I heard of your program there wasn't anything offensive to me." She thought about the others who weren't so fortunate. "But I am concerned by your portrayal of the crew."

"I know, but I've explained it wasn't meant to be about them."

Rather than voicing her true thoughts and arguing, Seven bit her lip and gave a quick nod. "I understand."

"So," he perked up, "how about you and me take an afternoon together once this is all finished? I think I promised you more piano lessons. I almost forgot - You're not still having those headaches? I'll let you know as soon as Starfleet makes their decision and we can set a date."

There was little Seven felt she could say without being rude, heartless, or revealing more about her social life than she really wanted. Instead she nodded.

"Excellent." He smiled widely and looked about to continue their conversation when Seven half turned her body to the cargo bay. "Going to regenerate?"

"Yes, it's been a long day."

"Indeed. Well, I'll let you rest then. Good night."

"Good night." Seven held back her sigh until the Doctor's blue-topped uniform disappeared down the corridor. The cargo bay door swooshed open for her, revealing the cavernous room. The green glow of the alcoves was almost soothing in that moment, holding promise of reprieve from the hustle of a busy day.

She was almost in the alcove before she squared her shoulders and made a decision. Instead of her alcove, she went to the console and sent a brief message to Chakotay's quarters, trusting he would see it when his shift was over.

Indeed, he did and the simple sentence left him smiling in genuine pleasure. "Dinner in your quarters tomorrow?"

XXX

Chakotay smiled with anticipation when his door chimed. He called for it to open and he was paralyzed. Seven, sultry in a black dress that flared from the hips and slightly at the wrists, strode in with a soft smile.

Enjoying her temporary hold over his complete attention, Seven went over to him, unaware of the grace in her movements.

Gaping at her in an undignified fashion, Chakotay was mesmerized by the change in her demeanor and appearance. With her golden hair curling around her shoulders and the black dress hugging her curves Seven was transformed. To his embarrassment, Seven made it to his side by the time he regained composure. "You look amazing."

"Thank you."

She leaned in to kiss him and was gratified when his hands found her waist, holding her in place a bit longer.

"Do you like halibut?"

Chakotay looked down, only then noticing the bag of fresh supplies she'd set down. They would have to replicate the fish and some other ingredients, but the majority of the seasonings could be fresh thanks to the gardens Voyager had cultivated and increased over the years.

"I do." He took her bag over to the kitchen and helped slice lemons and garlic while she prepared the main course.

"So, what would you like for dessert?" he asked.

"I have dessert planned." Her smile turned secretive. "You'll like it."

"I'm sure I will. What is it?" Chakotay couldn't help a bit of excitement at her response. He'd heard from a lucky few about her skills with desserts. Neelix, though not always a reliable tongue, had described some of her experiments in the kitchen and Chakotay wasn't the only one who'd coveted a taste. Seven, however, was in a teasing mood again.

"Dessert will be a surprise." Chakotay looked at her, taken aback by the answer. Did she know all the connotations of such an answer?

"Won't you give me a hint?" He'd finished chopping and washed his hands, turning to watch her work. He placed a hand on her hip, testing their physical boundaries and was pleased when she smiled instead of slapping him.

"That would defeat the point of it being a surprise."

"Please?"

"You're as bad as the children were," Seven said with a chuckle, only partly joking.

"Well," he drew in closer with a wicked sparkle in his eyes, "is there anything I can do that might sway you?"

"I can't think of anything." Seven felt his warm breath on her neck and felt herself waver. It crossed her mind that she was ridiculously susceptible to his type of persuasion.

"Really? You can't think of anything?" His voice grew husky as he moved closer.

"Can you?"

"Um-hmm." His breath on the junction of her neck and shoulder had the desired effect. Chakotay saw her shiver slightly. She partly turned to him, her eyes wide and soft.

A buzzing and jolt of sharp pain shot through Seven's head. She turned away so he wouldn't see.

He'd almost closed the gap between them, but like a light being turned off her shields snapped back up and she retreated to the stove. Not understanding, Chakotay held back a frustrated sound, feeling it rumble in his chest. He believed she'd dispensed with her Borg shields around him. Maybe I was wrong, he thought. She might not trust me as much as it seemed. As disappointing as it was, it tempered his passion into a milder tenderness and patience. He respected and liked her more than enough to accept her switch from hot to cold during their fledgling romance. Perhaps some doubt had surfaced. It was normal.

They worked a few minutes, the silence not as comfortable as it had once been. Seven was mulling over what had just happened, wondering what part of her physiology was malfunctioning. The pain slowly receded as she busied herself with cooking.

For his part, Chakotay was partly telling himself to cool his jets and partly trying to devise another way to kiss her.

Seven looked over, tracing his profile against the soft lighting and smiled with adoration. There was a tiny crease between his eyes as he partly frowned over his chopping. She knew he was frowning over her contradictory actions and though she felt sorry for it, she couldn't help but be charmed by his handling of disappointment.

Maybe I should just ask what's wrong, Chakotay thought. He looked over.

She met his gaze, her eyes sweet and innocently desirous and Chakotay dropped all pretenses. Without a second thought, he closed the gap between them, placing his lips against hers. She responded and when he couldn't take the sweetness of her lips anymore, he nuzzled into her neck. It was just a taste as he drew back enough to torment.

Seven was at a loss. She could still feel where he'd put his mouth. It tingled even as it cooled. He did it again and this time she wound her hand through his hair, holding him in place as she pressed against him. He was aware of her hands exploring him, her human hand tracing his face briefly before delving into his hair.

They parted with reluctance, each feeling their hearts race. Seven felt a significant twinge in her head, but ignored it. Chakotay was still so close and she would sooner have given up her left arm than pay attention to something as insignificant as a headache. His eyes were darker than usual from the dimmer light or something else. Seven felt her heart give a thrill and she leaned in once more, quickly becoming lost as her hands roved over his shoulders. His lips moved from her mouth to her neck again. The sweet feel of his attentions made her blood boil and irrepressible desire rise until…

A click and strange, piercing buzz sounded for a moment.

"What is it?" Chakotay felt Seven wince. He pulled back, growing concerned as he saw her tense. Her fingers moved as though to massage her temple, but she lowered it when she realized what she was doing.

"Nothing." The moment broken, Seven realized her leg was around Chakotay's waist and shyly lowered it, his hand trailing along the skin as she did so.

He wasn't buying her excuse. She really had grown very pale quickly and he'd rarely if ever seen her express pain. "Do you need to go to sickbay?"

"No." The sounds had receded, but the pain had not. She couldn't resist putting a hand to her head, but it offered no comfort.

The strange click and shrill buzzing sounded again, briefly drawing Seven's attention.

"Chakotay…" She pulled him back and met his lips hungrily, distracting him from his concern.

"Seven, I love you."

It was a minute before they realized what he'd said. When it did sink in, they stood, each uncertain what to say or do.

"You do?"

He considered taking it back, afraid it might have been too much too early, but he realized it would be lying and he didn't want to lie to her, ever. "Yes." Relief filled him when she gave a hesitant smile.

"I love you too." It was like viewing herself act in a dream, it didn't seem real.

As the full weight and joy of the moment built in her, Seven leaned forward to kiss him. Her more tender and passionate emotions blocking out all else, she disregarded the painful warnings in her head.

Chakotay saw the sudden shift in her expression, but didn't comprehend what it meant and it happened too fast for him to do anything but hold her as she fell. Her cybernetic hand rose to her forehead, where a spark jolted across her ocular implant. Her face pinched in pain and then relaxed as she lost consciousness.

"Seven! Seven, wake up!"

There was someone calling her name, but as she fell deeper into oblivion she lost all ability to recognize what she knew should be familiar.

XXX

"Commander, you have to leave."

"I'm not leaving until she wakes up, Doctor."

"She'll be fine, but she needs to rest now."

"Fine. She'll rest and I'll wait."

"Commander, it's two o'clock. You need your sleep too."

Seven heard the men's voices, but was in too much of a fog to put what she heard in any sort of context.

"Not until -"

"Seven wakes up. I know, I know." The Doctor sighed and moved around the bed, about to put his tools away when he noticed the readings. "You might not have to wait much longer."

The Doctor pressed a hypospray to her neck to help things along.

"Chakotay?" Her simple question wasn't quite a whisper, but it was still weaker than normal.

"I'm right here." Chakotay touched her cheek, drawing her gaze to him.

"What happened?" Not fond of her vulnerable position, she sat up, supressing nausea and the urge to grimace as her tender head gave a warning stab of pain. Two sets of hands reached out to steady her. Seven had to resist the urge to shake them off.

"You collapsed in Commander Chakotay's quarters." There was a hint of accusation in the Doctor's tone and certainly the scowl on his face let her and Chakotay know how he felt about them consorting. "Your cortical node shut down. You went into neural shock, but I managed to stabilize you before there was any permanent damage."

"Another malfunction?"

"I'm not sure yet. I have to run a diagnosis of your cortical array." He looked from Chakotay to Seven, noting the concern on both faces and felt his hurt dissipate. Despite the twinge in his photonic heart, he hoped nothing significant turned up. He could be selfless enough to desire that for the both of them.

"Do you need me to remain in sickbay?" Her usually stoic demeanor was gone. Seven didn't meet the Doctor's gaze and appeared to shrink into herself, partly embarrassed and partly frightened.

"No, I have my readings and I'll see you when I have an answer. In the meantime, I want you to get a full regeneration cycle. I would suggest taking time off work, but I know how likely you are to heed that advice."

Seven nodded and slid off the bed. "Thank you."

"Contact me immediately if you feel anything unusual. I don't want to have to resuscitate you again."

Seven nodded and, ignoring Chakotay's offered hand, strode from Sickbay with her head held high. She felt very guilty about this behavior, but her fear and a rising suspicion kept her feet moving even when she heard his hurt voice calling after her. He didn't follow, deciding to give her space for at least a bit and for that she was grateful… even if it did make her chest hurt with what she could only describe as heartache.

XXX

The cargo bay was dark as ever. Seven didn't look up when the doors slid open. She didn't need to.

"My cortical node malfunctioned again." It wasn't a question as she knew there were a limited number of things that could have occurred.

"No, as a matter of fact, it's functioning perfectly. It seems the Queen has been improving her control over drones."

Dread filled Seven to the core, but she was unsurprised. She knew the gist of what he was going to say. She'd known for a long time what was causing her headaches, her nightmares, and the piercing shriek that sounded in her head when she was too close to Commander Chakotay; she just didn't want to acknowledge the reality of it.

"Your cortical node was designed to shut down higher brain functions when you achieve a certain level of emotional stimulation." The Doctor paced around Seven, attempting to remain calm in the face of the implications. The Queen's cruelty knew no bounds and it seemed she was not as ignorant about individuality as one would assume.

"Explain." Because she had to hear it from someone else, to make it real to accept it, Seven forced herself to listen and to ask for more.

"It appears to be a failsafe mechanism to deactivate drones who begin to regain their emotions."

Seven didn't say anything, but several questions whirled in her head.

"Knowing the Borg, it makes perfect sense. Finding one's heart is the surest road to individuality. The technology remained dormant until now." He sighed. Chakotay had given him the gist of what they'd been doing prior to Seven's collapse. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened, what they'd said or done together.

"Can you repair me?" Even as she asked it, she felt the hopelessness of her situation. Even if he could, she was still more Borg than human. One thing after another kept popping up to stymy her return to humanity. Everything seemed against her. If the Doctor fixed this, then there would just be something else a week later.

"The technology is built into your cortical node, but I can think of something. It would take several surgeries to rewire the micro circuitry." It wasn't the first time he felt inadequate as a physician, but it was the first time he felt he was letting down the one person he'd never wanted to disappoint.

Who was she kidding? She was not a human woman and never would be. And Chakotay…

"I won't lie to you, Seven. It would entail multiple surgeries and the recovery might be difficult."

Seven didn't reply; she was thinking. Chakotay was a good man, a fully human male. He didn't deserve to suffer along with her.

"I'll prepare the surgical bay. We can get started right away." He was almost out of the cargo bay when Seven's harsh response stopped him.

The cortical node gave a sharp shriek once then became silent.

"No."

"Seven, I don't need to stress the danger of leaving this. You'll have to be very careful around Commander Chakotay for one thing and -"

"The surgery is unnecessary. I don't intend to allow my emotions to put me in danger again. I will end my relationship with Cha—the Commander and not pursue a relationship in the future."

"But Seven -"

"I have my reasons, Doctor. If you will excuse me, I have work to complete."

XXX

The Doctor returned to sickbay and immediately ordered the computer to play a selection from his personal files, favouring the soothing tones of Chopin and Bach to his usual opera. Sinking tiredly into his office chair, he ran a hand over his face and picked up a PADD. He scrolled through some of the data without taking any of the information in.

Seven would never concede if she didn't want to. The Doctor knew her stubbornness too well to assume she would capitulate easily.

But that didn't mean he couldn't be prepared in case something or someone changed her mind. With renewed energy, the Doctor turned and pulled up Seven's information onto his console. He would find a way for his friend to get past this and wait until she was ready to accept help.

He only hoped she didn't discover his lie… that the technology hadn't been dormant. The Doctor was certain the circuitry hadn't been part of her original cortical node. Rather, she'd obtained it when she received Icheb's node as a replacement for her malfunctioning one. He wasn't blind to the irony of it. Just as she had a breakthrough with her personal skills, fate threw her yet another curve.

XXX

Chakotay took the first opportunity he had to seek out Seven, hoping she was willing to talk instead of brush him off like she had done the day before. Her regular shift was over so he assumed she would be regenerating. He entered her usual sanctuary, but the cargo bay was empty, so was Astrometrics.

"Computer, locate Seven of Nine."

"Seven of Nine is in engineering."

Slightly irritated now since she was expressly asked by the Doctor to take things easy, Chakotay went to engineering. The place was bustling with B'Elanna in the thick of things as usual, but there was no Seven that he could see.

"Chakotay, what are you doing down here?" B'Elanna passed him on her way to a main console.

"I'm looking for Seven."

"Oh, I wanted to thank you for that."

"What?"

"Sending her down here. With Lt. Carey gone…" B'Elanna paused, grief seizing her a moment. "Well, we're a little shorthanded right now. Thanks for adding it to her shift."

"I didn't." But B'Elanna didn't hear his near whisper. "Where is Seven?"

"I'm not sure. She had a list of things to do and I don't know what order she'll do them in." Still ignorant of Chakotay's increasingly dark mood, B'Elanna leaned conspiratorially towards him. "Just between you and me, her independent streak does come in handy. I don't have to babysit her and I've never had to tell her to move things along."

Chakotay gave a stiff smile to placate B'Elanna then left, certain Seven would only be tracked down by the computer. He found her on deck nine, repairing relays and circuitry.

"Your shift ended two hours ago, Seven. You need to regenerate." She didn't even glance in his direction.

"Engineering requires assistance, Commander." She stressed his title, but he ignored it.

"It can wait until you're better."

"I am better, sir." She didn't look up from her work.

"Really?" Chakotay felt real frustration sting him. "The Doctor cleared you for duty?"

"I am fine."

"Seven," he crouched in front of her, "what did the Doctor say?"

"My cortical node began to shut down, but he stabilized it." A muscle in her jaw twitched with the effort of maintaining restraint.

"That's it? He didn't give you any explanation as to why it happened?"

"He did."

"And?"

"And I would appreciate it if we would terminate this conversation. I have work to complete."

"Seven!" She finally looked at him as he lost his temper. "Will you tell me what's going on?"

"Please don't address me as though we are intimate terms."

Unable to look at him and keep her reserve, Seven glanced away, but it was enough for Chakotay to realize why she was behaving so coldly.

"You're ending this." She gave a brief nod and attempted to turn back to her work, but Chakotay took hold of her arm. "Why? I think I deserve an explanation."

"Because -" Her voice broke and she took a deep breath to regain control. The warmth of his hand on her arm and the gentleness in his eyes only made it more difficult. "Because I'm not human, Commander. Cortical nodes are programmed to shut down drones who experience heightened emotions."

"Heightened emotions… like love?" It was too much.

"The Doctor can't repair me." The stricken expression on his face was enough to break some of her resolve. "You're a good man, Chakotay. You possess many admirable qualities. I hope you find someone who can give you what you deserve."

Chakotay, too unsettled by the revelation to stop Seven, watched her scoop up her toolkit and walk away.

XXX

"What are you working on?" Chakotay demanded as soon as he entered the Doctor's office. The Doctor looked up, his brows almost as far back as his receding hairline. He'd rarely seen Commander Chakotay truly angry, but the man looked positively out of his mind. The Doctor wondered if he should prepare a hypospray.

He indicated the PADD in his hand. "Reviewing the Captain's physical. Why?"

"Physicals? You're reviewing physicals at a time like this? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Utterly befuddled, the Doctor forced his hanging mouth back into working order. "Well, what would you like me to do? As much as I warn against consuming Neelix's food, I'm not about to take over the mess hall."

"You claim to be Seven's friend, but you're sitting here reviewing physicals of people you know are perfectly healthy. Why aren't you doing research, conducting experiments? How can you possibly think it's okay to let her continue on with that time bomb in her head?"

"For one thing, I don't think it's okay, but what do you want me to do? I offered to remove the failsafe device, but Seven didn't want me to."

"What?" Like a punch to the gut Chakotay felt the wind go out of his sails. "Why would she do that?"

"I don't know. I must admit the surgery isn't perfected yet and could be dangerous." Chakotay looked at the Doctor again, a warning in his dark gaze. The Doctor hurried to assure him. "I've been reviewing everything I have to develop a better procedure, but it is a slow process. Cortical arrays aren't something to play with."

"But you have a procedure available?"

"Yes." The Doctor watched Chakotay run a shaky hand over his face and felt some sympathy. "May I… ask what happened between you two?"

"Seven failed to mention that you already had an option available."

"I assumed that, but what else?"

"She wished me well." It came out more pathetically heartbroken than he intended or realized, but the Doctor wasn't one to kick a man when he was down.

"I'm sure she does."

Energy spent and with new, equally troubling things to think about, Chakotay thanked the Doctor and bid him a goodnight.

XXX

"You should take a break."

"So should you."

"You've been working for fifteen hours."

"When was the last time you regenerated?"

"I can order you off duty." Despite the honest threat, Seven had to resist a smile. Icheb practically glared at her, taking her words at face value. Unfortunately, she knew perfectly well there was a counter to her statement and Icheb was smart enough to pick it out.

"What would the Doctor do if I told him what your schedule has been?"

"Go and I will follow you in a minute."

"Promise?"

Seven smiled at him. "Yes."

Satisfied, Icheb nodded and left the large room, leaving Seven to finish up and contemplate when he'd grown so protective of her… and what she'd done to deserve it.

The doors opened and Seven felt every muscle in her body tense.

"Icheb said you were still here," said Chakotay. He noted Seven's stiff posture and readied himself for a fight. There were few people as stubborn as Seven, but he had faith that she was also logical and human enough to be persuaded. She'd said she loved him. He put his faith in that too.

"Yes, I have just completed my weekly report." She handed him a PADD and made to stride past him, but he grabbed her arm.

"We need to talk and it's not about work." Seven stood passively and Chakotay relaxed his hold.

"There is nothing to discuss."

"Seven, you lied to me. Why did you say the Doctor couldn't help you?"

"The Doctor's surgery isn't a viable option… for me."

"He said the procedure isn't perfect, but he's more than willing to work on it before putting you through it. If we give him time, I'm sure he can lessen the recovery time and pain too."

"I'm not afraid of pain."

"Then what is it?"

"Excuse me." She tried to leave again, but his grip tightened and she found herself unable or unwilling to break free.

"No, I deserve to know the truth. I wouldn't and couldn't blame you if you're afraid or want to wait for the Doctor to do more research, but why did you refuse him altogether?"

Seven remained silent.

"Listen, Seven, I know we haven't been seeing each other for very long, but the past few weeks have meant more to me than any other relationship I've had. Our time together has been more than memorable. It's been incredible. I love you and I'd be lying if I took it back and said otherwise, but I understand if you don't feel the same way, if you have doubts."

I wish he would lie, Seven thought. It might make it easier to avoid him, to turn him away as she knew she should have before embroiling herself in this relationship. Seven recognized the fragility of her thinking immediately. They worked too closely on too small of a ship to ever be fully rid of his presence and the temptation she felt every time she heard his voice or caught a glimpse of him. She loved him and cessation of such an emotion was beyond her ability to control and beyond her steady nature's ability to snuff out.

"Seven…" He sighed. "It's only natural to have doubts, but it shouldn't influence this decision.

I am Borg. I will conquer this. The old mantra sounded weak and false even to her. She turned her head further from him, hiding the pain he'd already seen blossoming there.

"I want you to take the Doctor up on his offer, not for me but because you deserve to be happy. I know that I might not be worth it, but you could find someone who is and I don't want your life jeopardized when that does happen."

"There is no point." She bolstered herself and turned to face him, her mask of cold indifference firmly in place. "Would you try to turn a rock into a living creature?"

"You're human."

"I am Borg. There is no point pretending otherwise. I was human, but then I was assimilated. Any resemblance to my former self is merely the Doctor's doing and social lessons I don't fully understand."

"Do you know what I told Captain Janeway when you first came onboard?"

The question was not what she'd expected. She shook her head.

"I said you were too young when you were assimilated, that you'd been Borg too long to become fully human, and that you wouldn't last on Voyager." He dared to touch her hand, the one riddled with metal. The blood thrumming through her veins warmed even the Borg technology. She pulled away. "I'm glad to say I've never been more wrong. Seven, you surpassed all my expectations. You have a warm heart, you've thrived on Voyager and proven as loyal and good as any person I've met. I wouldn't have asked you out if it wasn't true."

"But it's not enough." Seven shook her head, thinking of how many times she didn't understand a turn of phrase or antagonized someone. It would never be enough.

"No one sees themselves clearly, Seven, and you are no exception."

"Meaning?"

"You're too hard on yourself."

"You are," Seven said, swallowing past threatening tears.

"I am what?"

"Worth it." Seven inhaled deeply and then faced him fully, trying to look beyond his hopeful eyes so that she wouldn't be distracted from her course. There was a sharp screech. The failsafe was active and assessing her emotional responses. She took a deep, calming breath and the pain receded. "I didn't lie in your quarters and I don't have doubts about you. Our time together has meant a great deal to me as well. That's why the failsafe activated itself."

"Then -" Chakotay raised his right hand to her cheek, but she flinched away as his finger brushed her ocular implant. Confirmation of some of his suspicions dawned. Ignoring her agitation, he deliberately caressed the metal above her eye and then took her left hand. "Seven, let me make something perfectly clear. You deserve happiness and if I can give that to you, then I don't want to be pushed away."

"I am Borg." She glanced down at the hand he still held. His thumb rubbed absently over the body-warmed metal.

"Were Borg. You lost the ability to convince me otherwise a long time ago."

"No, my body contains enough Borg components to be considered a drone and no matter how many surgeries the Doctor performs nothing will change that. I require weekly maintenance checks, regeneration, and can be given no guarantee there isn't a secondary failsafe programmed into me. You don't deserve that."

"And if it's what I prefer to the alternative? Haven't I at least earned the right to choose?" Chakotay continued to hold her hand, waiting as she searched his face for – he didn't know what.

"You could choose better."

"It's a small ship and even if it weren't, I'd still love you."

"We haven't been in a relationship very long."

Confused, Chakotay answered slowly. "No, we haven't, but we've known each other as colleagues for a lot longer."

"Still, do human relationships usually advance as ours did?"

"I suppose not, but nothing about our situation is typical."

"Are you sure you love me?"

Chakotay almost laughed out loud in relief. "Yes."

This time Seven couldn't suppress the failsafe and she flinched just enough that Chakotay noticed.

"Come on, I'm taking you to sickbay." He tugged at her hand insistently, knowing she'd back out if given too long to overthink the situation.

XXX

"May I suggest the next time you two decide to test your skills that you do so with a safety net? A few broken toes and arms can be mended, but even I have my limits. A neck doesn't heal so easily." Ensigns Bristow and Campbell left, suitably chastised as Commander Chakotay led Seven of Nine back into sickbay. The Doctor muttered something against blood sports before turning to his new visitors.

"Seven-" Chakotay started.

The Doctor didn't need Commander Chakotay to finish. One look at Seven's pale face told him enough. He immediately snatched up a hypospray and tricorder. He descended on them, pressing the sedative to Seven's neck. Together he and Chakotay guided her to a bed.

"Do you know how long it's been active?"

"Approximately fifteen minutes, but it seems worse than before."

"Your cortical node is more sensitive since the failsafe programming has already been activated once."

Chakotay watched them, silent and anxious. Despite his desire to help, he knew there was little he could do so he contented himself with holding her human hand.

"Well, I think the sedative will suffice," the Doctor declared after a minute. Seven's dulled senses and calmer emotions allowed her cortical node to reset itself. He was unsurprised to find, however, that the programming didn't return to a dormant state or even as passive as it had been a few hours before. If Seven continued in this way or kept refusing treatment…

"Doctor, you said-" Seven swallowed hard. "You said you had a series of surgeries to remove the failsafe."

"Yes." He glanced at Chakotay. "I'd highly recommend allowing me to perform them if you two are going to continue seeing each other. As much as I enjoy your company, Seven, I don't like the circumstances of late."

"I will."

"Of course, it's not for me to judge, but it is a matter of health, not that anyone is likely to listen to me. I-" Seven's words sank in. "You will?"

Seven nodded. She felt Chakotay squeeze her hand and turned to him while the Doctor gave a happy exclamation and ran to his office to get things ready.

Checking to make sure the Doctor was well distracted, Chakotay leaned down to speak privately with Seven. "We can wait until he's done more research. You don't have to do it now."

But she did have to do it right then, partly because of the feeling of calm and ease which the sedative brought and partly because of the pleasant feeling that filled her when she was close to Chakotay. If they were going to spend any significant time together, then she would have to have the surgery… or return to her Borg detachment. Somehow she didn't think that was possible. It felt like a floodgate had opened and she had no way to stopper it. She breathed deep, enjoying his scent through the sterile environment of sickbay. His hand was warmer than her own, his slightly callused fingers transferring some of their heat to her as they stroked her pale skin over and over. It was soothing, so much so that she began to drift off. She could close her eyes for a minute… just a minute and enjoy their closeness.

"Seven?" Chakotay was waiting for her answer.

"The Doctor is a capable surgeon." That was true, but she wasn't sure about the second part. "He will ensure I remain functional." She thought her front was sufficient, but Chakotay gave a knowing smile.

"If the Doctor will let me, can I stay with you before and after the surgery? I know he'll kick me out during, but…"

"You're right about that." The Doctor had come over and caught the tail end of their conversation. "Mr. Paris will assist since he's the one with medical training and I don't want any distractions during this delicate procedure."

Seven looked up at Chakotay. "As long as you can." Her reward was Chakotay's full smile. He pressed his lips to her knuckles.

XXX

The first surgery took up an entire shift, which Chakotay spent on the bridge after informing Captain Janeway that Seven would be out of commission for a while and Paris would be in sickbay assisting the Doctor. He didn't betray the details of the procedure, having no authorization from Seven to do so and he could understand why she wanted to keep such a thing quiet anyways. He worried for a moment about Paris, the ship's biggest gossip, but his concern hadn't lasted long. As soon as Tom entered sickbay and saw Seven being readied for surgery the man's persona had shifted such that Chakotay was actually proud of the younger man and grateful he had befriended Seven. It was with a pang and rush of unexpected affection that he realized Tom Paris had been one of the first to see beyond Seven's lingering Borg components and mannerisms as well.

"I'm sure everything is fine," said Captain Janeway softly.

"What?" Chakotay had been staring at his console for ten minutes without really seeing the data there. The beeps and general conversation around him had settled into a dull buzz.

"I said I'm sure everything is fine." Kathryn appraised him, wondering at the tired circles under his eyes and the tension around his frame. She wondered when he and Seven got so close that he would worry to such an extent about her. For that was the source of his distraction. Kathryn was sure of it, but she couldn't think why.

Chakotay, oblivious to his captain's observations, merely nodded.

XXX

"How many more after this do you think?" Tom asked the Doctor wearily. Seven lay sedated in the surgical bay while the two men cleaned up their tools.

"At least three. It'll depend on how her recovery goes and if there are any further complications." Tom drew a shaky breath and the Doctor almost mirrored him. They were both thinking of hours earlier when Seven's heart stopped.

"Let me know when you want to schedule the next one then." Tom yawned. "I'm ready for dinner and bed."

"Goodnight, Mr. Paris and thank you."

Tom waved with a tired smile and left sickbay. I hope B'Elanna's home, he thought. On top of not wanting her to exert herself in engineering, he felt the intense need for the companionship of his wife after the day's events.

The Doctor checked Seven's vitals several times while he went about other duties. He was unsurprised when Commander Chakotay entered, looking stressed and grumpy. The Doctor sighed as the other man went right to Seven's side. As much as he wanted to deny it, there seemed to be real affection between them. He just hoped they wouldn't crash and burn. The Commander did, after all, have an unfortunate track record.

"I'll wake her up in a minute if you want to take her to regenerate. Make sure she gets a full cycle."

Chakotay nodded to the Doctor and then returned his attention to Seven, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

XXX

"Chakotay?" Seven opened her eyes, noting the dim lights of the cargo bay and the green lights of the Borg alcoves. Standing a little to the side at the main console stood Commander Chakotay. He looked up from tapping something in. When she spoke, a wide smile lit up his face.

"Good morning." He watched Seven detach herself from the alcove, looking for signs of weakness or remaining fatigue. She seemed normal.

"Good morning." She hesitated a second before leaning in to kiss him lightly.

"The Doctor gave you the go ahead to return to duty this afternoon, but you can take some time off if you prefer." She raised a brow at him and he laughed. "Okay, okay, I know the answer to that, but maybe you will consent to having breakfast with me first."

Seven inclined her head, a warm smile of her own creeping up. "I would enjoy that." She looked down at her clothes. The Doctor had shuffled her down to regenerate while still in the standard medical pants and shirt. It was nondescript grey. The combo seemed unattractive and embarrassing even to Seven.

Chakotay was watching her, a tiny smile on his lips. "Would you like to shower and change first?"

"I think that would be appropriate." She had almost pulled out a fresh biosuit from one of the nearest containers when she paused. Somehow the form-fitting outfit didn't appeal to her and she stood there, unmoving, as she tried to work out why.

I feel different, she thought. I don't feel like a drone anymore. She eyed the man who had patiently been at her side for so long and knew her change of heart was mostly owing to him. The biosuits were designed to be gentle on her implants, but she knew the special design wasn't strictly necessary. It once had been needed as her body adjusted to being human and she'd just never seen the point of changing until it seemed that the suits had become a uniform of sorts. Now, she caught herself wondering what was more human to wear, what would make his eyes light up with appreciation.

A decision made, Seven turned to Chakotay, who was waiting for her with patient curiosity. "Will you assist me to find appropriate attire?" Chakotay's brows rose, but he obediently moved with her to the computer console.

"Would you like a uniform or something less formal?" Chakotay asked. "I can authorize you to wear a crewman's uniform." He didn't need to add that Janeway would support such a change with great enthusiasm.

Seven contemplated the decision. She didn't need to stand out from her peers any more than usual and she was part of the crew so it would only be fitting that she wear the official uniform and said so. Chakotay pulled up the specs and Seven added a few changes so she could wear it without chafing on the more sensitive implants. When she was done, they replicated it and Seven disappeared into the washroom at the back of the cargo bay.

"Wow." Chakotay had to admit that she wore the simple uniform well and told her so. She smiled shyly at the compliment.

As they left the cargo bay, Seven couldn't help jesting. "Do you suppose Neelix will exempt us from leola root if I claim it's for medical reasons?"

Their mixed laughter echoed briefly in the spacious cargo bay.

XXX

"Ah, Seven, how are you feeling?" Neelix asked. The breakfast rush had come and gone so he noticed the pair enter the mess hall immediately. He eyed the change in uniform with some surprise. "You look nice."

"Thank you. I am well. The Doctor has repaired me." The crew had not been told the specifics of her illness, but it had been impossible to keep her frequent visits to sickbay a secret. Five consecutive surgeries wasn't something that could be easily hidden on a ship.

"I'll get us something to drink." Chakotay, not realizing how his hand strayed to Seven's waist, went to the replicator while she requested a meal from Neelix, whose eyes had not failed to notice the physical contact.

"So," Neelix started, glancing from Chakotay and back to Seven, "the Commander has certainly been attentive to you. I don't think I've seen you two apart for three weeks."

"Yes, he has been assisting me with my recovery." Her straightest face in place, Seven wondered how much follow up Neelix would pursue. His yellow eyes locked on hers a moment.

"Are you two dating?"

"Yes."

Neelix smiled. "Mum's the word."

"Thank you." She took the simple breakfast fare he offered and joined Chakotay. He gave her a questioning look. "He knows we are in a relationship."

"To be honest, I'm surprised more people haven't guessed." He thought of Tom, witness to many pre and post-surgery moments between him and Seven. Along with the reason for Seven's absences from work, he must have kept realizations about her personal life silent as well.

"Perhaps the rumor mill is not as efficient as we previously assumed."

"I wanted to talk to you about that actually."

Seven nodded. "Proceed."

"Do you want the crew to know or would you like to keep our relationship private?" He wasn't one to hide his feelings, but he was only too aware of how difficult office romances could be, especially once they were made public. Though he knew better than to go off gut instincts where love was concerned, he couldn't help feeling this relationship would be different. He wanted it to last and believed it would.

"I am uncertain." She thought about it. "Would it be considered lying if we neglected to inform anyone?"

"I don't think so. They might not be too happy at first when they do find out, but they'd get over it pretty quick."

"You're certain?" Seven couldn't help wanting to make sure, especially considering the protective nature of a singular person she thought of.

"Positive."

"And Captain Janeway?" She watched Chakotay's brows shoot up in confusion. "Should she not be notified?"

"You're right. If we were to be in a situation where our judgement would be impaired, she should know."

Seven thought about it. "It seems unfair to ask Captain Janeway to keep a secret." She looked up at him through her lashes. "Perhaps we don't need to be subversive, merely discreet."

"Agreed." They smiled at each other.

XXX

"Hey, Sev—Woa." Harry's eyes widened as he absorbed Seven of Nine's change in appearance. He caught the warning look Commander Chakotay sent his way in time to stifle the rest of his exclamation. The rest of the crew shared surprised glances as the Commander and Seven passed by into Captain Janeway's sanctum.

Behind them, Harry sent an accusing glare at his friend, Tom. Tom merely smiled and shrugged. He could keep a secret when it was important… and he owed Seven if not the Commander the right to tell their own story when they felt like it.

Captain Janeway stared at her computer screen, not really absorbing the words in front of her. It had been another sleepless night, the product of too much work, too much worry, and too much caffeine. She lifted her coffee mug, but stopped from drinking. The cold remains swirled in a distracting way so that she jumped when her door chimed.

"Enter." Janeway tried to perk up as the door swooshed open, but only really achieved it when Chakotay and Seven stopped in front of her desk. She noted Seven's uniform with a mixture of confusion and hopeful surprise.

"Captain." Seven gave a bob of her head, her nervous eyes flickering away from Janeway's gaze to Chakotay's smiling face. Things clicked into place rather quickly and easily after that.

"I'm sure I can guess what's going on," said Janeway, setting down her mug, "but why don't you go ahead and tell me how serious this is so I can get a grasp of the context we're dealing with."

Chakotay tried not to grin like an idiot, but he only managed to quell his twitching lips into an amused smile. "Pretty serious." He caught Seven's eye. "If a regeneration unit could fit in my bedroom, I'd ask Seven to move in."

Janeway tried to appear nonchalant with a half shrug, but inside she was reeling. "All right then. Thank you for telling me. Seven, if you're ready, I think B'Elanna had some favors to ask you." Both officers turned to leave. "Chakotay, can I speak with you a moment?"

Seven hesitated, but Chakotay squeezed her hand again and murmured a promise to meet for lunch.

"Oh, and Seven…" The former Borg met Janeway's eyes. Janeway smiled, honestly and happily. "The uniform looks good."

When they were alone, Seven dipping her head in a customary show of respect to her captain, Chakotay waited for Kathryn to get a fresh cup of coffee. He declined her offer for a drink and had to stifle a grin, recognizing her habits. She was not as calm and collected as she seemed. Chakotay would have bet all he owned that he knew what was coming. He would have won.

"You'd ask her to move in?"

"I meant it."

"I'm sure you did." She eyed him over the rim of her mug. "I did notice you two spending a lot of time together. You spent as much time in sickbay as she did these past few weeks."

"I suppose so, but it's been coming on since… since we left Quarra." As he expected, there was surprise in Janeway's eyes and just a hint of hurt. Chakotay braced himself for the difficult part of their conversation.

"Are you sure about this? Seven is young, new to humanity and extremely inexperienced." Janeway wasn't always up to speed on Voyager's gossip, but she'd heard of Seven's dating experiences. That tended to happen when one ended in a trip to sickbay and the other a threat of bodily harm to a visiting dignitary.

"I'm sure and Seven's not as… inexperienced as you seem to think. She's an adult and possesses the knowledge of more species than Starfleet even knows about."

"True, but knowing about something and experiencing it are two different things. I respect you, Chakotay. I know you would never intentionally hurt anyone, but that doesn't mean she won't be hurt." She held his gaze, hating what she felt she had to say. It was cruel, but also necessary. "You have to be sure, Chakotay. You have to think this through and understand just what you're getting into. Like it or not, she's still part Borg. Can you handle that she will need to see the Doctor every week for the rest of her life, that she'll have to regenerate at least every few days to stay healthy?"

Chakotay chuckled, but his smile didn't fully reach his eyes. "Yes, I know what it'll be like and I'm fine with it." With their journey home going as it was a tiny part of him thought it wouldn't be an issue. They would likely spend the rest of their lives on Voyager. If only that had been it, the two old friends could have left things in peace.

"And children? Does it bother you that she may not be able to have children, that you might never be a biological father?"

Chakotay felt his breath catch. That Seven may not be capable of producing children was not a new thought, but he felt the sting of the words and Kathryn's doubt nonetheless. Did she really think he hadn't thought things through, or that he would be so selfish, so heartless? In the back of his mind he knew she only meant to protect him and her protégé, but something in him had snapped. Perhaps it was the weeks of stress, the emotional commitment he'd already set on Seven, the lack of sleep, or simply the last of his tolerance for being questioned like a child, but whatever the cause was, Chakotay had enough.

"Whatever difficulties Seven has to deal with are between us. Excuse me, Captain." Before she could call him back or he could give voice to all his thoughts, he left her office and the bridge. It was lucky that Voyager didn't encounter any serious issues that day because Chakotay found every possible excuse not to be at his post. Instead he did those little chores and trips to the lower decks he usually set aside or skipped altogether.

XXX

"Does it bother you?" Seven asked. She and Chakotay sat on his couch, curled into each other. Chakotay took Seven's Borg hand. The metal was warm. He smoothed his thumb from skin to metal while he thought. It didn't take very long.

"No, I don't think it bothers me at all."

Seven shifted to peer up at him. "Most humans seem to look forward to being parents. Captain Janeway is wise to bring it up."

"I know and I wouldn't be unhappy to be a father -" Chakotay paused, too many different emotions running through him at such a thought. His mind couldn't help drawing around to Seska and her claim that Chakotay was the father of her child. The fabrication had cost him no little amount of heartache and the ability to trust. "I think I'd like it, but parenthood was never the main goal in my life."

"Your duties to the Maquis?"

"Yes. It started with Starfleet since I thought that was my ultimate destiny and then the Maquis and Voyager, not that I actively thought about it. I didn't want to bring a child into the life of an outlaw and then we were brought to the Delta Quadrant."

"It's not too late." Seven drew a breath. "You could still find someone -"

"I think we've already established how we both feel about that." Seven cuddled closer in response, lying her head on his chest. Intrigued by the golden hair so close to him, Chakotay let his hand stray to her head, thinking up a way to distract her. "You know, I'm starting to worry that maybe you want to find someone better." He felt her smile against his chest.

"Who do you propose as an alternative?"

"Ensign Kim? He's always liked you."

Seven laughed. "More than you are aware."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Her hair came free and he trailed his fingers through it. She didn't seem to mind him taking the liberty.

"Ensign Kim was the first one to discuss how to be human with me… I once believed he wanted to copulate." She part cringed and partly laughed at the memory of demanding the hapless man take off his clothes.

"I bet he would have jumped at the chance." Chakotay tried not to sound too jealous. He was more amused than anything, but could still feel the irrational emotion surface.

"No, I think the reality of his desire was beyond him. He seemed rather frightened when I suggested it. He is also a man of principle." The hand in her hair had stilled.

"You suggested…" Chakotay shook his head, unable to wrap his mind around such a thought immediately. "Moving on."

"Perhaps I should date the Doctor."

"You think so?" Chakotay put a hand under her chin, tilting her face upwards so he could kiss her deeply. He made sure that when he pulled away she would be as stirred by the contact as he was. "Are you sure?"

"Hmm." She licked her lips, making Chakotay smile. "Perhaps I am better with you."

"I think we're both better together." Another kiss and then he had to stifle a yawn.

"Am I boring you?" Seven smirked at him as he tried unsuccessfully to stop another yawn.

"No, I'm sorry. It's been a long day." He dropped his head back against the couch. There was silence for a bit and he felt his body slow down, falling into an almost sleep.

Seven lifted her head to look at Chakotay as she felt his body begin to relax. He really did have dark circles under his eyes and it was only when the stress lines were smoothed by near sleep that she realized just how prominent the wrinkles had been… all because of her. The Captain hadn't been wrong when she said Chakotay spent as much time in sickbay as Seven. She'd rarely closed or opened her eyes without seeing him waiting for her. Seven felt overwhelming gratitude and affection.

"Chakotay, you need to sleep."

"Um-hmm." His throat rose and fell with the nondescript sound, but he didn't move otherwise. Seven smiled.

"Chakotay…"

"Mm."

Forcing herself to stand, Seven finally drew his attention when his arm fell off her shoulders. His eyes opened and he stared at her with a frown, his arm still slightly outstretched from holding her. Seven's front felt colder than normal after sitting for so long against him. She held out a hand and, confused, he took it and allowed her to haul him off the seat.

Chakotay was too tired to think clearly about the fact that a beautiful woman was guiding him to his bedroom. He sat on the bed, pulling off his shoes without bothering to change the rest of his clothes. With a sigh he fell back into the comfy mattress, pulling the quilt around him.

Seven hesitated before kicking off her shoes and crawling into bed as well. She wasn't certain if her actions were appropriate, but he didn't seem unhappy about it. Chakotay rolled over so he could hold her close. His breath was warm on her neck where he leaned in to kiss the ticklish skin. His breathing slowed and deepened almost immediately after.

Seven closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep, a light and happy smile on her lips.


End file.
